


Belonging to A Noble House Means Putting Loyalty to Your Family above All Else

by AntagonizedPenguin



Series: How Best to Use a Sword [17]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Anal Sex, At a Dinner Party No Less, Brothers, Cousin Incest, Hating your dead dad so much that you fuck your little brother on all his tacky furniture, Implied very underage, Incest, M/M, Nobility, Oops there's also cousin incest now, Oral Sex, Oral Sex under a desk, Politics, Semi-Public Sex, Somnophilia, Spanking, Under The Table Blowjobs, power
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2020-03-20 02:05:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18982990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AntagonizedPenguin/pseuds/AntagonizedPenguin
Summary: Together, they survived the politics of the capital. Together, they survived a coup that killed their father and nearly destroyed their family. Together, they dethroned the usurper. Together, they've shaped the political landscape of Kyaine.Together, Geoffrey and Giacomo DiSheere plan to come out on top.





	1. Belonging to A Noble House Means Putting Loyalty to Your Family above All Else

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the next in the stories about the Kyainese political landscape and it's ever-changing gamut of monarchs. This is a direct sequel to [Usurping the Throne Is Easy; Keeping it Is the Hard Part](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15397422/chapters/35736258), but as always with my stuff reading that isn't necessary if you're just joining me--obviously there will be some things that happened in that story that will be taken for granted, but it shouldn't be too hard to follow along. 
> 
> By way of warning if the tags didn't make it clear, this story features a consensual underage incestuous relationship between an older and a younger brother--but of course the consent is complicated by the power dynamic of an older and younger sibling, and the fact that Giacomo is fairly young, and also by the implied fact that he was much younger when their relationship started. So be warned of all that and turn away if it's not your cup of tea.
> 
> But with that said, let's plunge into the saga of House DiSheere!

“Your family was always steadfastly loyal to my dear departed sister and to House DiGorre,” the king said. “And given your exceptional service, I see no reason to believe that isn’t still true.” 

“Thank you, my king,” Giacomo said, bowing, Geoffrey watched him, watched him hold himself with all the poise he could muster, and wondered how that was his little brother. 

“Please, only regent,” Hans DiFueure said, holding up a hand. He was a squat, rectangular man with a haggard face and eyes that made him look tired. “There does remain the issue that your brother was an advisor to the usurper.” 

Geoffrey didn’t speak. He was the older, and the head of the house. But Hans was speaking to Giacomo. 

“Only as a ruse to gain his trust, my regent,” Giacomo said with a small smile. “Our family was in a bad position and were the only ones to remain loyal to House DiGorre. Geoffrey and I decided it was the only way.” 

Giacomo had kicked Geoffrey in the balls when Geoffrey had told him what he planned to do. 

Hans nodded. “You did very well, young man. Any accusations of collaboration with the usurper are pardoned. Your family is cleared of any wrongdoing.” 

“Thank you, my regent,” said Giacomo, bowing again as Geoffrey thought about the usurper, escaping on horseback before Hans had gotten to the castle. “Is there anything we can do to be of service to you?”

“For now just return to your house. In a few days I will hold court and make formal pronouncements about my advisors and so forth. The first and only order of business of my regency will be finding the remaining members of House DiGorre, most critically Princess Flora. We must return Kyaine to its rightful rulers at once.” 

The last remaining daughter of the deposed queen had vanished from the castle during Hans’s attack. Nobody had seen her leave. 

“I couldn’t agree more, my king,” Giacomo said, nodding. “Thank you.” 

“The kingdom thanks you for your help, Giacomo. You may go.” Hans nodded regally. He also sat on the throne regally. He also wore the crown regally. He was very regal. 

Regent, Geoffrey’s ass. Nobody believed that. He planned to rule as king, and probably marry Flora once she was old enough—that she’d gone missing was a blessing.

Giacomo bowed again, and this time Geoffrey bowed with him. “Thank you, my regent,” the both said, and retreated from the throne room, silence following them until the doors fell shut in their wake. 

Neither of them said anything as they moved through the untouched halls of the castle. By the time Hans had gotten here there hadn’t been any resistance. Geoffrey followed a step behind his little brother, looking around. Only a few hours since Hans had taken over, and it was returning to normal, servants cleaning up, guards patrolling the hallway. A significant portion of the northern façade had collapsed, Geoffrey understood, but other than that there was no damage. 

Their carriage was waiting for them in the castle courtyard, which was similarly undamaged. This was where the fighting had ended. Giacomo had performed his exceptional service here, killing Ulrich Elderbyne as he’d retreated into the castle’s defences, after his forces had faced utter defeat thanks to Giacomo making sure they hadn’t gotten the right orders or supplies. 

He was too smart by far, Geoffrey’s brother. And too ruthless. And too young to be either of those things.

Only once they climbed into the carriage and closed the door behind them did Giacomo’s expression change. He sighed, closing his eyes and running his hand through his curling hair. His only curled at the ends instead of all over like Geoffrey’s, something he’d inherited from their father. He also had their mother’s high cheekbones and brilliant eyes. “Fuck,” Giacomo muttered. 

“You did very well,” Geoffrey said, not sure what else to say as he rapped on the side of the carriage. It started moving, taking them out of the courtyard. Being inside it meant they wouldn’t see the places where damage had been done, to the streets and the buildings of Hawk’s Roost. The castle had escaped it but the city hadn’t. They were still removing the bodies. 

“I know.” Giacomo smiled at him, sitting next to Geoffrey and resting his head on Geoffrey’s shoulder. “Do you think we’ll end up having to kill Hans too? Probably.” 

Geoffrey internally winced. “I think we can only switch sides so many times before people start to think we’re untrustworthy.” 

“It’s not switching sides,” Giacomo said quietly. “We’ve always been on the same side. Our side. Our family’s side.” 

“House DiSheere isn’t one of the sides in the current conflict,” Geoffrey reminded him, pulling his arm around Giacomo and resting his head on Giacomo’s. He was so tired. He’d been asleep for several days and had only woken up during the attack. Sleeping was exhausting. Or maybe being stabbed and then healed was exhausting. Or maybe treason was exhausting. Either way, Geoffrey was exhausted. 

“I bet that’s what Stephan thought too when he had our dad killed,” Giacomo said, bitter. “Nobody important, just Gerhard DiSheere. Who’s going to miss him.” He smiled now, just as bitter. Giacomo wasn’t a bitter boy. “Who’s going to miss poor King Stephan? I killed him, I don’t care what Jorge says. He’s a liar. He’s also not the one who healed you after the banquet. Him I want to kill.” 

“Killing people isn’t the only way to solve problems, Giacomo,” Geoffrey cautioned. It was easy to get into that mode of thinking and become a monster. “And you didn’t kill Stephan.” 

Giacomo looked up at him, featuring hardening into a glare. “You believe Jorge? Geoffrey.” 

“I don’t. Jorge’s lying, but you’re mistaken. That wasn’t Stephan’s body Hans found on the throne.” The body on the throne had looked like the usurper, the crown slipped down over his face, blood on his lips. But it hadn’t been. 

“I _killed_ him,” Giacomo insisted. “I stabbed him in the chest. I remember doing it. Jorge just used an illusion to disguise the wound, that’s all.” 

Geoffrey shook his head, feeling bad. “He escaped, Giacomo. I helped him do it. The guy on the throne must have been a body double or an illusion or something.” Jorge was the only wizard in the city and he was slimy as hell. It was something he’d do. 

“You…” Giacomo lifted his head, moved away from Geoffrey. “You what?”

He sounded dangerous. He _was_ dangerous. Geoffrey wanted to know when his little brother had become dangerous. “I helped him escape. It was the agreement I had with his companion.” 

“I know that, but…” Giacomo stood up, swaying in the moving carriage. “You had no reason to honour that. How…how dare you. I spent all day…all fucking week trying to save us both and you were…you were helping the guy who killed our dad?”

“Yeah,” Geoffrey said calmly. “I was.” 

“I…I hate you. You selfish…what’s _wrong_ with you?” Giacomo demanded, putting a spike in Geoffrey’s heart. “He killed our father! I don’t care if he was nice to you and if you felt bad for him, he got our dad killed. He died in your arms, Geoffrey!”

“I remember,” Geoffrey said, because he did. _Stay loyal_ , he’d said. _Don’t waste time. Don’t let the house fall_. He had sounded uncertain. Even as he’d been dying, Gerhard DiSheere had made sure to let Geoffrey know he didn’t trust him. 

“Then why…”

“He knew about us,” Geoffrey interrupted, looking at his hands. “He knew about you and me, Giacomo.” 

That brought Giacomo up short and he stood there, swaying. “Dad did? But…”

“He found out about a week before the coup. He took me into his study and gave me a drink. He told me it was how men talked. And then he told me that he was sending me back out east, to the manor, to gain leadership experience so I’d learn how to be a proper man and keep my hands off his son.” Geoffrey made himself say it. He’d never been able to tell Giacomo this before. Giacomo had been grieving, and he’d wanted to protect his brother from what their father had been like. “He told me that the law said I had to inherit his lands and that my heir had to inherit them from me and that was the only reason he wasn’t castrating me. He was going to try and get you married to Flora, or to Christina or to another girl from out west, so I’d never have cause to see you again.” 

Now he looked up at Giacomo, who was stricken. “I never liked him even before that, Giacomo. He didn’t like me either. I’m glad he’s dead. Stephan did us both a favour.” 

“Geoffrey…” Giacomo took a breath, eyes swimming. He stepped forward, arms out. Geoffrey stood up, and they hugged, swaying together. “You’re a terrible person.” 

Geoffrey nodded. “I know.” He knew he was. It was wrong, what he was doing with Giacomo, and he knew that. It was wrong to be glad his father had died. It was wrong to have helped his killer. Everything Geoffrey did was wrong. 

And he didn’t care.

“I am too,” Giacomo whispered, hugging Geoffrey tighter. “I killed people today and it made me happy. Killing people isn’t supposed to make you happy.” 

“It’s okay,” Geoffrey told him, smoothing Giacomo’s hair. He needed a bath. “I won’t let you do it again.” He’d protect Giacomo from anything. Even himself. 

“I’m not sure that you’ll be able to stop me.” 

“I’m pretty good at giving out spankings to naughty boys.” 

Giacomo laughed, nodding against Geoffrey’s chest. “Okay. I’m too tired for a spanking today, though. I just want to go to bed.” 

“Me too,” Geoffrey agreed. “But we’re having a bath first, at least. You haven’t had one since I’ve been asleep, have you?”

“I was busy ruling Kyaine.” 

“You’re so cute.”

“And I didn’t even have to suck anyone’s dick to make it happen.”

“I _am_ still planning to spank you. Don’t make it worse.” 

“If I suck your dick will you not spank me?” Giacomo asked, looking up at Geoffrey with innocent eyes.

Geoffrey smiled, pinched his cheek. “No. But you can suck my dick anyway. Oh, and one more thing.” 

“What?”

“Stephan’s not going to Three Hills.” 

“Wha…what?”

“I promised Neville I’d get him out of Hawk’s Roost if it came to it. I never promised I’d get him up north.” Geoffrey smiled. “He killed our dad. Even if dad was a fuckhead, you didn’t really think I was going to let the insult to our family stand, did you?”

He liked Stephan, he really did. But Stephan had hurt his family. Geoffrey looked out for his family. 

“Geoffrey!” Giacomo stepped back, punched Geoffrey in the stomach. “You didn’t have to sit there and let me insult you!”

Geoffrey shrugged, recovering his breath. “You’re cute when you’re mad.” 

“Where’s he going?”

“East.” To their lands near the plateau.

Giacomo grinned, hugged Geoffrey again. “I guess I’ll suck your dick every day this week.”

“Hey, isn’t that just part of your little brother duties? Give me at least twice a day, you little cheapskate.” 

“Fine, I guess you’ve earned it.” Giacomo got up on his toes and kissed Geoffrey, and the cart went over a rut it the road, sending them toppling into the seat, with Giacomo in Geoffrey’s lap. “Geoffrey?”

“Yeah?”

“No more secrets, okay? For either of us.”

“Yeah,” Geoffrey agreed, holding his brother tight. “We’re in this together.”

“Yeah. I love you.”

“I love you too, Giacomo.” 

They held each other the rest of the way home. Geoffrey would hold Giacomo forever if he could, but since he couldn’t, he’d settle for protecting his brother, his family, with everything he had, and everything he was. 

Geoffrey swore he would, on the name of House DiSheere.


	2. Nobody Knows Each Other's Minds Like Brothers Who Have Only Each Other

_My prince,_

_By now you’ve doubtless heard what’s happened in Hawk’s Roost, so I won’t waste your time by repeating it to you. I’m sure you also know the rumours that your uncle is in league with Ech’kent’s Sorcerer King. Be extremely wary of any invitations he extends you, my prince. As much as it pains me to suggest it, I don’t believe that the king regent has your family’s best interests at heart. I hope to be proven wrong in the near future. I intend to remain here and keep an eye on him for you. If you have any instructions to pass on, please do. I and my house remain your loyal servants._

_Geoffrey of House DiSheere  
Lord of the Eastern Reaches_

Geoffrey sighed, setting down his pen and shaking out his hand. He was sore all over from sitting here writing all day, and was not looking forward to doing it again for the rest of his life. Being a lord was a lot less exciting than stories and ballads made it seem. 

Blowing gently on the page to dry the ink, Geoffrey continued to stretch the cramp out of his hand. He was going to have to stop for a while, but that was fine. He’d written most of his letters for the day and the rest really could wait until tomorrow. Maybe he’d go see what Giacomo was doing. 

Make sure he hadn’t killed anyone since breakfast. 

As he thought that, though, an idea came to Geoffrey and he smiled. On his desk was a small bell and he picked it up and rang it. The heavy wood doors opened, and a servant entered. “My lord? What do you need?”

“My brother,” Geoffrey said. “Would you send someone to tell him I’m summoning him? Use those words specifically.” 

The servant nodded. “Yes, my lord,” he said, retreating and leaving Geoffrey alone in the room. It was his father’s old office and Geoffrey hadn’t gotten around to having it redone, so it was still full of all the huge, dark furniture that Gerhard DiSheere had liked, all his heavy books, the thick carpet, the heavy drapes on the windows. Everything Geoffrey’s father had liked had been big, imposing, heavy and dark. Just sitting at the stupid desk made him feel small. 

Geoffrey rolled up the letter for Franz, sealed it with wax and pressed his house sigil into the wax. Then he held it up, ringing the bell again. 

“My lord?” 

“Send this to Three Hills,” Geoffrey said, holding up the roll of paper. “To Prince Franz. I don’t want anyone to know I’m sending it.” 

“Yes, my lord.” The servant was a slender man, and he took the letter in slender fingers, bowing. He was named Herman, and had been a servant in their house for about ten years. 

“Thank you. There’s only one more after this and then I shall stop sending you back and forth.” 

“Thank you, my lord. I’m happy to help.” 

Of course he was, it was his job to be happy to help. “Your help is appreciated.”

Herman bowed and retreated, and Geoffrey waited until he was gone before slumping in the giant chair, sighing again. He was tired. One more letter, but it was already written. Geoffrey read it over again, considering whether it needed to be rewritten for the tenth time.

Swords weren’t what started wars, he mused. It was words. The wrong word could kill more people than any army. 

It was a few more minutes before Giacomo came into the study without knocking, looking distinctly annoyed. “You summoned me?” he asked, this tone belaying his expression. He sounded like he was about to get in trouble just for fun. 

“Yes, I did,” Geoffrey told him, waving Giacomo over. “I’m the lord of the house. I can summon whomever I want. Including you.” 

Smirking, Giacomo shut the door, sauntered over to the desk. “Am I in trouble, my lord?” 

“Always,” Geoffrey told him. “I’ve been writing letters all day and my hand is cramped.” 

“Aw, want me to kiss it better?” 

“I was thinking some exercise might help, actually,” Geoffrey said, pulling Giacomo around the desk and then into his lap, squeezing his thigh. “I realize that you’ve managed to wriggle out of that spanking I promised you.” 

“Aww,” Giacomo said, wriggling again as he got comfortable in Geoffrey’s lap. “I was hoping you’d forget. Who are you writing letters to?”

“Franz,” Geoffrey told him. “Our various cousins in the east. Sophia Fyrhawk, House DiCosst.” He paused. “Henry.” 

“Hm,” Giacomo said, nodding. He kissed Geoffrey’s cheek. “What are you writing to Henry?”

Geoffrey grabbed the letter off the desk, handed it to Giacomo, who refused. “Read it to me. I like it when you read to me.” 

“I think you mean your Chez’n sucks,” Geoffrey teased. Chez’n was the native language of Ech’kent, and the only language Henry had written to them in, probably because he knew most people in the capital spoke Kyaine’s dominant Kyn only. 

Giacomo giggled. “I like it when you read to me, big brother.” 

“Oh, someone said the magic words,” Geoffrey said, wrapping his other arm around Giacomo’s middle and nuzzling his neck for a second. He smelled like dust. “Have you been outside?”

Giacomo nodded. “I was out this morning with Terry and Pietro and Raoul,” he said. “Alfie was with us.” 

Terence Grournight was a cousin on their mother’s side, the son of Geoffrey’s aunt Tanya, whose lands were adjacent to theirs. “Pietro Poilnan and Raoul DiSenne?” Northern and southern nobility respectively. Hans wasn’t letting any of the nobility leave Hawk’s Roost just yet.

“Yeah,” Giacomo nodded. “We’re friends. We’ve been hanging out since the banquet. I like them a lot.” 

“Good. You need friends your age,” Geoffrey said, and he did mean that. Giacomo had his companion Alfie but that was about it. The fact that those three were politically useful was nice too. 

“I know. Turns out that nobody looks twice at you when you’re in a pack of boys, they just assume you’re dicking around. Anyway, seems like Marion DiCosst and Janus DiCrawe are in talks to get married in a few years. Hector Fellendart’s got cancer and House Ockhar is moving to take House Fyrhawk’s place financially in the south.” 

“Interesting,” Geoffrey said, stroking Giacomo’s belly. He’d never liked Hector Fellendart or his family. “All that, just from dicking around.” He wasn’t surprised. Giacomo’s play was more efficient than most people’s lifetimes. 

“Yep. I also sucked Raoul’s dick again, just for fun. Oh, and rumour is that Darius DiFueure is going to stay here when his daddy goes home.” 

“Really?” Geoffrey stopped stroking. Lord Darcy was the only of the three DiFueure siblings to have had a living child who was able to inherit their lands. Hans’s son had died in infancy, and Dante’s children had all been named DiGorre. “Hans is kidnapping his own nephew?”

“Sounds like. I mean, until he can put a baby in someone, he’s got no heir, right?” Giacomo smiled. “Or maybe he just wants to fuck him. He’s cute.” 

Geoffrey had never gotten a kid-fucking vibe from Hans, though anything was possible. “He’s a bit young,” Geoffrey muttered, though he’d never met Darius DiFueure.

“I don’t think so. I’d fuck him. I was thinking of trying to add him to our little club. Him and Uri Elderbyne.” 

Geoffrey snorted. “You having killed Uri’s dad might make that a bit tricky.” 

“I like a challenge. Mark by words, he’ll be asking to suck my dick in a month.”

“Just don’t hurt him, please. He’s a little boy.” 

“Oh, calm down,” Giacomo said, elbowing Geoffrey in the gut. “I’m not going to rape him. And he’s older than I was when I got acquainted with this guy,” he added, reaching and squeezing between Geoffrey’s legs. “Now read me your letter.” 

“Right,” Geoffrey said with a sigh. Giacomo wasn’t wrong. But he had a tendency to be pushy without realizing it. They’d talk more about it later. “Dear Henry…”

“Lord Arkhewer.” 

“You think I should use his title?”

“I think if you use his given name it’s going to seem like you guys are really friendly if anyone sees the letter but him,” Giacomo said. “Considering he’s working with the Sorcerer King you want to avoid that. Use his title.” 

“Using his title is going to seem like I’m making fun of him,” Geoffrey pointed out, thinking more about Henry’s reaction when he read the letter.

“Do you think he’s that stupid?” 

A pause. “Fair enough. I’ll change it. To the Lord of House Arkhewer, I hope this letter finds you well.” 

“I hate that platitude. It sounds like a platitude.”

“That’s because it is. I’m keeping it in. I hope this letter finds you well. You are doubtless aware by now that Lord Hans DiFueure has removed the usurper Stephan Fyrhawk from the throne of Kyaine and rules it as king regent.” 

“Why is he doubtless aware?” Giacomo asked. 

“Because him and his buddy Samson are responsible for it.” 

“You want to accuse them of that?” 

“A little bit.” 

“Then you should word it more strongly.” 

Geoffrey nodded. “What if I’m wrong?” 

“Are you?”

“No.” 

“Then word it more strongly.” 

“Okay.” Geoffrey looked at what he’d written, translating it mentally. Why did they have to speak Chez’n out there? It was such a stupid language, overly complicated and with a lot of fiddly grammar. “You have doubtless heard from Lord Hans…going to leave his house name off since they’re friends. You have doubtless heard from Lord Hans that he has succeeded in removing the usurper Stephan Fyrhawk from the throne of Kyaine.” 

Giacomo was nodding. “That _we_ have succeeded. Make him understand that we helped.” 

“Right. That we have succeeded in removing, blah blah, I’m going to have to re-conjugate the verb and change half the sentence now, thanks.” 

Giacomo stuck out his tongue.

Geoffrey sighed. “From the throne of Kyaine. We look forward to better relations between Kyaine and Ech’kent resultant therefrom, and if you have anything you’d like brought to the king regent in person, I am happy to do so on your behalf.” 

Giacomo was silent for a second. “That’s it,” Geoffrey said. “Signed your cousin Geoffrey of House DiSheere, and so on.” 

“I hate the word therefrom,” Giacomo said, chewing the inside of his mouth. “It sounds stupid.” 

“It’s a bad translation of a Chez’n word. _Hjannt_. It’s necessary.” Geoffrey poked Giacomo’s stomach. “Which you’d know if you’d get better at Chez’n.” 

Giacomo made a face. “Fine. The last sentence sounds a little bit too much like you want to be Henry’s messenger boy.” 

“That’s what I was worried about,” Geoffrey agreed. He didn’t know how to get the point across without sounding like that, though. 

“Make it…make it so we don’t totally trust Hans to be on Henry’s side either and that if you notice anything you’ll tell him,” Giacomo suggested. “Uh. I hope you’ll feel at ease knowing you have family in Hans’s court to represent your interests.” 

“And those of Ech’kent.” 

“And those of your stupid pompous territory,” Giacomo agreed. “I believe both sides of our family will benefit from this alliance. Yours, whatever whatever.” 

Geoffrey smiled. “That’s good. That’s a lot better. Now I have to rewrite the stupid letter. And that first sentence is going to be subjunctive, so thanks for that.” 

“I have faith in you, big brother.” 

Geoffrey snickered, held Giacomo closer. “You sucked Raoul’s dick, huh?” 

“A few times,” Giacomo teased. “That’s what friends do for one another, you know.” 

It sure was. “It’s also what brothers do for one another. Did it taste better than mine?” 

“Can’t remember. Probably.” 

“Then I think you need another taste. Maybe now while I rewrite this?” 

Giacomo grinned, slid off Geoffrey’s lap, deftly unlacing his pants. “Pervert.” 

“Says the one who wants to fuck half of Kyaine’s nobility.” 

“Not really. That’s just for fun. You’re the only one I really want.” Giacomo pulled Geoffrey’s hardness out of his pants, and Geoffrey sighed in relief at being released. “Write, brother. If you cum before you finish, I get a stay of execution on the spanking.” 

Geoffrey smirked. “You’re on. If I don’t, your ass is mine as soon as I’m done.” 

“Deal.” And Giacomo took Geoffrey into his mouth just like that, sucking hard, hollowing his cheeks, looking up at Geoffrey. 

Geoffrey swallowed, pushed down the wave of want that came with it, and got a fresh roll of paper to write on. He picked up the pen, willing his hand not to shake as Giacomo used his tongue to best effect, and started writing. 

His handwriting was maybe coming out a little shakier than usual, but it probably wasn’t that noticeable. Geoffrey personally felt that he should be allowed to write at the bottom ‘by the way, my balls are on Giacomo’s chin as I write this, so sorry if it’s hard to read,’ but Henry probably wouldn’t appreciate that detail. He’d never had a little brother, after all.

Besides, the subordinate clause in Chez’n would be a pain in the ass. 

Giacomo’s terrible subjunctive sentence took a full five minutes to write out, and Geoffrey felt the whole time like he was going to explode, but he held it in, only having to pause once when Giacomo pulled his head completely off and plunged back down, Geoffrey’s cock sliding all the way into his throat in one easy move. 

“Hah,” Geoffrey said, as he signed his name. “I win.” Giacomo lifted his head and Geoffrey showed him the finished letter. 

“Fuck,” Giacomo sighed, a pout forming on his face. “Fuck you.” 

“I think you’ll find you’re wrong about that. Keep going, though. No need to stop just because you suck.” 

Giacomo rolled his eyes. “I should never fuck you again just for that joke.” 

But he went back down and kept sucking while Geoffrey blew on the letter, rolled it, sealed it, and rang the bell to summon Herman again. Giacomo made a noise of protest, but Geoffrey just pushed him down, only barely getting his hand above the desk again by the time the door opened. “One last letter, my lord?” Herman asked, looking around the room briefly. 

“Giacomo’s exploring the servants’ passages,” Geoffrey said, gesturing at the side door. He hoped he wasn’t sweating too much. “Yes. To Henry, in the plateau. That’s it for the day. I’ll be retiring for supper shortly.” 

“Very good, sir. I believe the cook has prepared quail for the evening.” 

“Lovely. Giacomo’s favourite.” Geoffrey was about to cum. 

“Yes, my lord.” Herman bowed, backing out of the room. 

“Fuck,” Geoffrey hissed, his orgasm hitting him just as the door shut. He shot right down Giacomo’s throat, reaching down and pushing Giacomo all the way down, muffling his protest.

When he was done cumming, he let Giacomo up, panting. Giacomo wiped his mouth, unimpressed. “Raoul tasted better.” He was still pouting a bit. 

“Sure,” Geoffrey said, reaching out and tracing his swollen lips. “What are your plans tomorrow?” 

“Nothing in particular…” Giacomo thought about it. “I have a feeling they suddenly involve sucking your dick all day.” 

“I have a lot of desk work again tomorrow.” Geoffrey smiled. “And _so many_ meetings.” 

“I’m going to make you cum so many times you won’t be able to talk, and then I’ll have no choice but to take over the family in wake of your incompetence,” Giacomo told him, leaning on the chair in front of Geoffrey’s face. Having Giacomo in the meetings would be useful, too. He could help Geoffrey parse it all after it was done. 

Geoffrey snorted. “Damn. I get to have endless orgasms and be relieved of this horrible duty? What a threat. Take your clothes off so I can spank you into something resembling filial respect, will you?” 

Giacomo kissed Geoffrey, and then he stood, lifting his shirt over his head, dropping it on the floor, unlacing his pants. Geoffrey just sat there, cock out, watching his brother undress, and wondered what he’d done right to earn this. 

When Giacomo was naked—which really, he should be all the time—Geoffrey pulled him closer, over his lap right here in his father’s stupid huge chair. “Now let’s see,” Geoffrey considered, fondling Giacomo’s butt for a second. “Should I spank you until you apologize, or should I keep going until you cry?” 

“Well, I’m _not_ going to apologize,” Giacomo said, shifting, dick hard against Geoffrey’s leg. “Your hand’ll fall off first.”

“Oh, really? Okay then.” Geoffrey gave his brother a smack. Giacomo started, not having expected that. “Let’s see.” 

Geoffrey liked spanking Giacomo. Not because he liked hurting his brother—he didn’t—but because he liked having Giacomo turned over his lap, hard against his leg, whinging and squirming and not able to get away. And he liked that Giacomo, who had always been a terror and who had always known he was smarter than everyone else and had always known he was right, would always stand up after and politely apologize for whatever he’d done wrong. 

Giacomo was the cutest thing in creation no matter what he did and Geoffrey didn’t need him to act a certain way for that to be true, but he couldn’t not be turned on by Giacomo, flushed and contrite and even sometimes teary-eyed, meekly submitting and waiting for Geoffrey’s forgiveness like a little boy. 

Of course, he always found a way to get Geoffrey back for it later, but that was just as much part of the fun. 

Geoffrey’s hand fell onto Giacomo’s ass over and over, the cramp in his hand easing and turning into a pain in his wrist, but he didn’t care. He kept going, until a dull soreness spread from his palm up to his elbow and Geoffrey stopped, resting his hand. The skin of Giacomo’s backside was warm, blood rushing to the surface. Giacomo let out a whimper. “How you doing?” Geoffrey asked, catching his breath. 

Giacomo just exhaled sharply and made a rude gesture with one hand. So Geoffrey smiled and spanked him again, the sound of the smack almost drowning out the small cry Giacomo let out. He held it in for the next few smacks, but when Geoffrey started hitting him harder, Giacomo stopped keeping quiet, whimpers and cries of pain rising from him. He squirmed and tried to get away, held down by Geoffrey’s other arm, and he kicked his legs and moaned Geoffrey’s name and then, finally, he went slack, no longer fighting.

Geoffrey stopped after a few more spanks. “Shh…” he whispered, rubbing Giacomo’s back. He helped his brother stand, tilted up his chin. Giacomo’s normal defiant, snarky look was gone, replaced with something softer, younger. He had tears in his eyes, but they hadn’t yet fallen. “You okay?”

Giacomo nodded, taking a stuttering breath. “I’m, I’m sorry, Geoffrey. I’m sorry for being naughty.” He sniffed. “I promise I won’t do it again.”

It was an act, Geoffrey knew that. Giacomo knew what Geoffrey wanted to see and was putting it on. But it was convincing. 

Geoffrey smiled, pulling Giacomo down into a hug. “I know you won’t, little brother. It’s okay, you were just trying to help. I’m proud of you.” 

Giacomo nodded, and he did start crying, hugging Geoffrey back while Geoffrey rocked him gently. After a minute or so he calmed down, and Geoffrey stood up. “Turn around?” 

Giacomo nodded and did, hands on the desk, spreading his legs a little. Geoffrey spit on his hand and used that and the precum that he was leaking to slick up his dick, then spread Giacomo’s cheeks with two fingers. 

Even without any preparation Geoffrey didn’t have too hard a time pushing inside Giacomo, who was well used to the intrusion. He was nice and relaxed as Geoffrey eased into his nicely spanked ass, and he moved back and forth as Geoffrey started fucking him, encouraging his brother to go deeper. “G-Geoffrey…”

“Mnm,” Geoffrey agreed, moving faster, one arm wrapping around Giacomo again, holding him in place, grabbing his dick, jerking Giacomo off.

Neither of them lasted five minutes between the high from the spanking and the fact that Giacomo hadn’t cum yet. He shot easily, whimpering as he splattered Geoffrey’s hand. Geoffrey followed him, filling his brother’s ass with cum not a few strokes later. 

They slumped together against he desk, sweaty and sticky. Geoffrey pulled them back, sat in the chair again with Giacomo on his lap, still impaled. Giacomo twisted around and pulled Geoffrey down, and they kissed, slow and long and deep. 

When they pulled apart for air, Geoffrey looked his brother in the eye, saw his usual energy back. “I was thinking before that I wanted to change the furniture in this room,” Geoffrey said, kissing Giacomo again. “But the desk and the chair are kind of growing on me.” 

“Me too,” Giacomo murmured. “But if you ask me to call you daddy I’m going to bite your dick off.” 

Geoffrey chuckled. “Fair enough. I love you so much.” 

“I love you too,” Giacomo said. “My ass is sore.” 

“Imagine how my hand must feel.” 

“I really don’t feel bad for you.” 

“Just for that you’re going to sit here until I’m done fucking you again.” 

Giacomo snorted. “Like that wasn’t happening anyway.” 

Giacomo knew him way too well. Geoffrey wouldn’t have it any other way.


	3. When A Door Closes in Front of You, Gather Your Friends and Family and Prepare to Kick it down

“I’m going to kill him.” 

“Don’t make a scene,” Geoffrey said, resisting the urge to rub Giacomo’s back as they left the throne room. 

“I’m not going to make a scene,” Giacomo snapped, under his breath. “I’m going to kill Hans.” 

Geoffrey sighed. Hans had held court today, and he’d named his advisors, and none of them had been named DiSheere. “It stands to reason he wasn’t going to put me on his council, Giacomo.” 

“After all our family has fucking done for him he should have named one of us his military advisor a the very least,” Giacomo growled. “And who did he name to his little club? Five people from around the capital. Janus DiCrawe and Esmerelda Poilnan to satisfy the south and north, and Hector Matternach because it will demonstrate that he wants the western houses to be happy and make Isabella DeThane feel safe coming out of hiding. And how many people from the eastern reaches? Oh wait, as many as I have brothers whose dicks I haven’t sucked today.” 

“Hey,” Geoffrey said, taking his arm. “You don’t know that dad didn’t secretly have other kids. We could have baseborn brothers somewhere. You sucked any commoner dick today, just to be sure?” 

Giacomo looked at him, expression perfectly, publicly bored, his absolute fury hidden behind the mask he’d already perfected even at his age. “Don’t fuck around with me, Geoffrey. I’m liable to stab someone and I don’t mind if it’s you.”

“I know, and everyone can tell,” Geoffrey told him, squeezing his wrist. 

“No they can’t. I look like a bored kid who doesn’t want to be here.” 

“And normally when court lets out…”

Giacomo frowned, pulled his hand free from Geoffrey’s grip. “I’ll meet you at the carriage. Thanks.” 

Geoffrey nodded, and Giacomo headed off, wending through the crowd until Geoffrey saw him collide with Pietro Poilnan, grinning and saying something that got Pietro smiling too. They all had roles to play in public. Giacomo was good at playing his. Better than Geoffrey. 

“He remains exuberant,” a female voice said behind Geoffrey. He looked over his shoulder, slowed his step. His aunt Tanya was approaching him in their mutual quest to leave the throne room with everyone else. “It’s good to see.” 

“Hello, Aunt Tanya,” Geoffrey said, nodding his head at her. “You look well.” 

“And you look fit to skin our king regent alive,” she told him, smiling. 

Geoffrey snorted. “I expect everyone who lives east of the Cyan river thinks that way. We may as well not exist.” 

“Francisca didn’t ignore the east for the most part, at least. Neither did Stephan. Go figure. Hans spends half a year out there and doesn’t seem to remember we’re there.” Tanya was a short woman, her hair in a near-perfect ball around her head. 

“Admittedly,” Geoffrey said, “I don’t have the pull over him that I had over Stephan that kept us represented on the council.” 

“You mean you’re not sleeping with Hans,” Tanya corrected. “Have you tried?”

Geoffrey snorted. “Admittedly no. Maybe I should have.”

“I doubt he’d go for it. Maybe I’ll give it a shot,” Tanya said, considering, looking across the room for her husband Carl, who was a cousin from House DiRocce. “We’re going to have to do something to make sure that if he does get House DiGorre back on the throne, they don’t just write us all off like they did the plateau.”

“Hm,” Geoffrey agreed, watching as Giacomo dragged Tanya’s son Terry into whatever he and Pietro were scheming suddenly. He might end up going home on his own. “Do we want House DiGorre back on the throne?” he wondered aloud. 

Tanya looked at him as they reached the doors, moving out into the hallway. “You know, that might be a question worth asking.” 

“Why do you think I’m asking it?” Geoffrey asked, smiling. “Why don’t you come over for dinner later in the week? We can catch up. Maybe I’ll invite Jens too.” Jens DiHeere was the son of Tanya’s brother Teo. 

Tanya nodded. “Why not make it a party? Invite Danai, Bernd and Carlotte.” 

“Why, Aunt Tanya,” Geoffrey said, waving Giacomo’s companion Alfie over from where he was waiting by a window talking to another boy. There wasn’t enough room for all the nobility and all their companions in the throne room at once. “Doesn’t that represent all the major eastern nobility? Surely that could be interpreted as calculated.” 

“Surely it could,” Tanya said, with the same smirk that Giacomo used. Clearly he’d gotten it from their mother Talia, who’d been Tanya’s sister. “Though surely anyone with cause to interpret it that way is only doing so because they’re intimidated, now aren’t they?”

Geoffrey smiled back. “A week’s time, then? I’ll even make Giacomo dress nicely.” 

“Making him dress at all would be an accomplishment, if what I saw last time he was at my house was an indication,” Tanya told him, as her own companion came over as well. 

Geoffrey rolled his eyes. “Let me guess. It involved Terry and both of their companions, and Giacomo wasn’t the only one with a clothing issue?”

“Quite. I understand suddenly why they’re so close. Boys.” 

“Are you telling me girls aren’t the same way?”

“I like to think we’re more circumspect,” Tanya said, nodding at her companion. “I should go. If Terry ends up at your house, tell him I don’t want him travelling home in the dark.”

“He can stay the night if it gets too late,” Geoffrey said, as Alfie joined them. He was a big boy with a nice smile. “Giacomo’s bothering his friends inside. I have a feeling they won’t be coming straight home if you want to join them.” 

“Sure,” Alfie said, smiling at Geoffrey as he headed closer to the doors, looking inside nervously. He was kind of a shy boy, but only when he was wearing his clothes. 

“I shall see you later in the week, then,” Tanya said to Geoffrey, heading away.

Geoffrey nodded at her. “You too, Aunt Tanya.” 

And then he was by himself, and Geoffrey headed for his carriage outside slowly, figuring there would be a lineup of people trying to leave, so there was no rush. It wasn’t like he could go anywhere until he was sure Giacomo wasn’t coming. Or until he was sure that Giacomo was coming but with several other people. Maybe it was Geoffrey’s turn to walk into a room and see his brother’s skill at talking his friends out of their clothes. That would be fun.

It was because he was walking slowly that Geoffrey ended up being caught, he thought. “Hello, Lord Geoffrey,” said a nasally voice that immediately put Geoffrey on edge.

He didn’t turn, just kept walking. “Hello, Jorge. How are you today?” 

The newly named court wizard, a squirrely man who didn’t fit his robes, caught up with Geoffrey and walked alongside him, too fast, and then had to slow down when Geoffrey didn’t speed up. “I’m doing very well. Most well. And how are you?” 

“Also most well,” Geoffrey told him, smiling. He had a feeling Jorge was here to gloat at Geoffrey’s removal from the council. Geoffrey had no intention of making it easy for him.

“Is that so?” asked Jorge, who contained not a drop of subtlety in his body. “I should think you’d be somewhat put out.”

“Put out?” Geoffrey asked, affecting confusion. 

“Well…by the regent’s decision…”

“Not at all,” said Geoffrey, enjoying himself now. “I think his choices for the council were excellent.” 

“Well…yes, but surely you’re disappointed that you weren’t selected to…”

“To have an unnecessary burden placed on my shoulders again?” Geoffrey asked. “No. I’m glad to have it removed. The regent must have listened to me when I told him I didn’t think I was a good fit for the council.” 

“You…” Jorge scowled now. “You told him. No you didn’t.”

“Hm,” Geoffrey said, patting Jorge’s shoulder. “And you didn’t kill Stephan. Or heal me at the banquet. Or do most of the other things I’m betting you claim to have done. But I’m generous, so I’ll take credit for this one and we’ll call it even, okay?”

Jorge looked for a moment like he was holding his breath. “You…this is why I recommended that you not be permitted to rejoin the council. You’re not to be trusted.”

“I think you mean I’m smarter than you, but okay.” They’d reached the main doors of the castle and Geoffrey stopped, turning to face Jorge. “And if you think I’m not to be trusted, you should hear the rumours people are spreading about you.”

“Sp…spreading?” Jorge asked, starting. “What rumours?”

“I’m sure you must have an idea.” This was just fun. There were no rumours about Jorge.

“I’m…” Jorge looked frightened, which made Geoffrey wonder what he was up to in his free time. Maybe he should try and find out, blackmail him or something. “I’m s-sure I have no idea what…all people of authority are subject to slanderous things being said about them.”

Geoffrey laughed. “Calm down, Jorge. I was kidding. Nobody talks about you, don’t worry.” He patted Jorge again. “You’re bad at this game. Stop trying to play against people better than you before you get hurt.” 

Jorge took a step back, sticking out his chin. “So you are angry. You’re threatening me now.”

Geoffrey shook his head gently. “I don’t care about the council, and I’m confident in knowing that your advice played no part in Hans’s decision.”

“You…”

“I’m threatening you because you took credit for something Giacomo did, Jorge,” Geoffrey said, calm inside. “My little brother was very proud of that and you ruined it for him.” 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Lord Geoffrey,” Jorge said, swallowing. His hands were shaking a little. “I am the one who killed Stephan. I strangled him with magic.”

Geoffrey smiled, clasped Jorge’s hand to still it. “You don’t need to admit it, publicly or to me. But you have two weeks to apologize to Giacomo for hurting his feelings.” 

“Or what?” Jorge challenged.

“You know who’d be a better court wizard than you?” Geoffrey asked.

“Wh…”

“Anyone. And I include people who aren’t wizards in that. Have a good day, Jorge.” Geoffrey turned and went down the steps, looking for his carriage in the mostly empty courtyard. 

All in all, he thought as he climbed into the carriage to wait for Giacomo, it hadn’t been as bad a day as it could have been. And when Giacomo showed up forty-five minutes later with Pietro, Terry, Raoul and a slightly confused-looking Darius DiFueure, as well as all their companions, and piled into the carriage with him, making noise, he felt even better about it. Not being on the council had made a lot more opportunities for House DiSheere than it had lost.


	4. Extended Families and Dinner Parties Are a Great Combination

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Geoffrey hosts all his family for dinner. Giacomo helps out.

There hadn’t been this many people in Geoffrey’s house since his dad’s funeral. 

With the heads of all six major eastern houses, their spouses and children, and all their companions, there were thirty-five people in Geoffrey’s dining room. They’d relegated the children to a smaller table at the other end of the room, which Giacomo had made a show of pouting over even though it didn’t matter because they’d made sure to fuck on both tables this morning before anyone had gotten here.

Giacomo had made a list of all the furniture in the house and was crossing it off as they went. They were both pretty confident that they’d get through the whole thing by the end of the year. 

But anyway, the dining room was full of people, and most of them were Geoffrey’s relatives, closely or distantly. Aunt Tanya was here with her husband Carl and Terry, as well as her young daughter Camilla. Jens DiHeere was across the table from Tanya with his wife Greta, formerly of House Havenloft. They were taking turns holding their six-month old baby Julio while they ate. 

Tall, gorgeous Carlotte Havenloft was the only one here unmarried aside from Geoffrey, her husband, Dietrich DiRocce, having passed away two years ago. Her oldest daughter Catrina was sitting with her husband further down the table and her three younger daughters Carmen, Daphne and Daria were at the children’s table. Carmen was the same age as Giacomo; the others were younger. Carlotte’s mother and Geoffrey’s father had been cousins, Geoffrey’s grandmother’s brother having married into House Havenloft. 

Catrina Havenloft was married to Boris DiMenche, just in the last year. Lord Bernd DiMenche was Boris’s father and was at least eighty even though Boris couldn’t be twenty yet, but the same familial sickness had taken all of Boris’s elder siblings, leaving him heir. Geoffrey understood that Bernd had used the same surrogate for all of his children save Boris, which might be why he’d been spared. Bernd’s husband was Terence Grournight, who was Tanya’s uncle. Bernd was Geoffrey’s great-uncle; his brother had been Gerhard’s father. 

The last major noble house was House DiRocce, currently led by Lady Danai after her sister had unexpectedly died three years ago without children. Danai looked like an axe to Geoffrey, and was here with her husband Alberto DiStaart, which was a northern house. In fact, Alberto’s father was a Dolovin nobleman from a house called Feestings, which Geoffrey didn’t know anything about. They were here with their little son Dante, who wasn’t named after Francesca DiGorre’s husband even if they did share a name. Danai’s mother had been Helga Arkhewer, whose brother had been the father of Harriet Arkhewer, who had been married to Geoffrey’s uncle Giovanni and had been Henry’s mother. Danai was the only major eastern lord at the table who Geoffrey wasn’t directly related to in the last two generations, actually. 

There were moments where Geoffrey wondered why him fucking Giacomo was such a big deal when nobility was all so interbred. Members of these five families were the most obvious people for him to marry someday and Geoffrey shared blood with all of them. If he was going to spend his whole life fucking a relative anyway, it may as well be his adorable little brother.

Speaking of his adorable little brother, Giacomo had excused himself from the kids’ table a second ago to use the privy. Geoffrey had been the only one looking to see him not actually leave the room, but sneak under the far end of the long table.

“This meat pie is delicious,” Carlotte Havenloft said, having finished her plate. “Your cooks are to be commended, Geoffrey.” 

Geoffrey nodded. “It’s an Ech’kent recipe. Which is probably why it tastes like fire.” 

“It’s spiced just right,” Danai DiRocce said. “Usually cooks from outside the plateau are shy with the spices. Mother used to complain constantly.” 

Dad had used to complain that it was too hot so it didn’t taste like anything. Geoffrey quite liked it. “Our old head cook Magnus was from the plateau,” he said. “He left, but he trained all his successors to do it right.” 

“Speaking of the plateau, you’ve been in touch with Giovanni’s son, haven’t you, Geoffrey?” Bernd DiMenche asked, tapping the side of his plate with his fork. 

Geoffrey nodded as he felt a hand on his inner thigh, and another one undoing his pants. Giacomo pulled his dick out under the table. “Henry, yes. He couldn’t be here, but House Arkhewer also feels that our king regent is ignoring them just as he’s ignoring us.” 

“Is there any truth to the rumour that the Sorcerer King was responsible for Hans’s rapid march here?” Tanya asked as Geoffrey’s dick slipped into Giacomo’s mouth. 

“I think it can be inferred that he was, yes.” Geoffrey sighed, pretending it was just because of that. “The letter I got from Henry the other day came off…very disappointed that they hadn’t heard from Hans. I was asked to speak with him on Ech’kent’s behalf, and remind him of promises he made to them there.” 

“What promises?” Bernd asked, eyes narrow. 

“Good question. Hopefully he’ll tell me. I’ll also be asking Henry.” Geoffrey quirked a smile. Gicaomo’s tongue was working over his head. “Hopefully one of them tells me the truth.” 

“I begin to wonder,” said Jens, bouncing the baby in one arm, “if Hans’s treatment of us is his way of renouncing any rumour that he’s being controlled by the plateau. His regency won’t last long if everyone spends the whole of it claiming that he’s doing the Sorcerer King’s bidding.”

“His regency won’t last long anyway,” Geoffrey said with a smile. “And for the record, I’m quite certain that the Sorcerer King is doing Henry’s bidding.” 

“What makes you so sure of that?” Danai asked, eyebrow raised. “You haven’t seen Henry since he was a child and the Sorcerer King is a sorcerer.” 

“Twenty years and we barely hear a sound from them,” Geoffrey said, carefully controlling his voice as Giacomo took him into his throat. “And now suddenly they’re interfering in national affairs and communicating with me. The only thing that’s different is that suddenly Henry’s in the picture.” 

“Or that Solomon was replaced with his son who’s a lot more willing to deal than his father was,” Carlotte pointed out, waving for a servant to pour her some more wine. 

“Why should he be more willing?” Geoffrey asked, trying not to grip the table. “It’s got to be because he’s worried. Or vulnerable. Or being given orders—and the first two lead into the third.” He got the whole sentence out before he came, squirting into Giacomo’s mouth and grateful that he didn’t have to talk just then. 

While he was shooting, Jens said, “Regardless of whether that’s true, it’s why Hans is snubbing us. He doesn’t want it to appear that the east has any power over the throne.”

“Well, instead all he’s done is ensure that the throne doesn’t have any power over the east,” Tanya said, in half a scoff. 

“Of course they do,” Carlotte told her. “They’ve got armies and money.” 

“We can sustain ourselves, we don’t need their money,” Tanya countered.

“That doesn’t solve the problem of armies.” 

“We’ve got armies,” Danai said quietly. 

“Small ones,” Bernd agreed. 

Recovered, mostly, Geoffrey smiled. “Henry’s got an army too. And any army that wants to make trouble in the east has to cross the Cyan river. Bridges are breakable.”

“A river isn’t a wall and Henry’s not a reliable ally when he’s leashed to a madman and none of us know him,” Danai said with a shake of her head. Giacomo had pulled off of Geoffrey. He patted him on the thigh and then backed away, leaving Geoffrey’s dick out. “The thing we’re dancing around discussing is treason.”

“It’s only treason if you lose,” Bernd said sagely. “The eastern reaches of Kyaine have been ignored for my entire life. Monarch after monarch has let it happen. A token member on the council and that’s it. Hans is not a new problem.” 

“Bernd is right,” Tanya said, as Giacomo reappeared from under the table and went to rejoin the children. Not a single person but Geoffrey saw him. “Kyaine is too big—Hawk’s Roost is never going to care about us.” 

“Until we do something stupid. Then they’ll care a lot,” Jens said firmly. 

“Nobody’s talking about doing something stupid,” Geoffrey said. 

“You are.” 

“Am I?”

“You’re talking about declaring war.” 

Geoffrey smiled. “I never said anything about declaring anything. I’ve never won a fight by telling the person I was fighting that I was planning to throw a punch.” 

“Have you ever thrown a punch, young man?” Bernd asked him, amused.

“No, but I know the principle.” 

That got some laughter out of them all, and Geoffrey waited for it to die down. When it did, a hand touched his thigh, and Geoffrey moved his legs a little wider, glancing over at the kids’ table. Giacomo was sitting there talking to Alfie, which meant that the person under the table wasn’t one of the two people he expected to touch him under a table. 

“So what’s your suggestion for a punch to throw?” Tanya asked him, fixing her dress. 

Geoffrey took in a breath as his guest’s hand took his dick. It was Terry, he thought, that was who was missing from the kids’ table. So as her son took Geoffrey into his mouth, Geoffrey told Tanya, “The council can vote to remove a regent.” 

“And why would they do that? Hans isn’t hurting them.” 

Giacomo had been sucking Geoffrey’s dick full-time for the last several years now, and Terry wasn’t as good at as he was. But he did seem to know what he was doing, taking Geoffrey in slowly and sucking him hard. “It’s up to us to convince them it’s in their best interests, isn’t it? We can start with Janus DeCrawe.” 

“Why him?” Carlotte asked. “Because he’s young?”

“Yes. Because he’s the same age as Giacomo,” Tanya said, giving Geoffrey a look. 

She knew how Giacomo operated, clearly. “Yes. It’s the same reason I wanted him on Stephan’s council. Giacomo can control him, don’t worry. Henry will help with the others, once it becomes known that the regent is working with the plateau.” 

“Assuming that this works,” Bernd asked, leaning forward. “Then what? The council just appoints another regent, most likely another central Kyainese lord who doesn’t even know our names.” 

“Not if a monarch appears,” Geoffrey told him. “Someone descended from House DiGorre can stake a claim to the throne.” 

“The only person left in Kyaine named DiGorre is Dahlia, and we don’t know where she is,” Danai said. “Unless you do.” 

Geoffrey didn’t, but he smiled at her. “I was thinking you, actually.”

“Me?” Danai frowned, then her face went still. “Oh, I see.”

“Before people accuse us of being crazy, why don’t you remind everyone what your great-grandfather’s name was, Lady Danai.” 

“Prince Franco,” Danai said quietly. “Of House DiGorre. He married Genevieve Arkhewer. He was actually my twice great-grandfather, it was over a hundred years ago.” 

“I’m sure all of us can claim DiGorre heritage if we go back far enough,” Carlotte said, waving her hand. “So House DiGorre tried to maintain connections with House Arkhewer a hundred and some years ago. That’s not enough to win a claim to the throne—fifty others will make the same claim.”

“None of them will have the entire eastern nobility behind them,” Tanya said, looking at Danai. Terry sucked harder on Geoffrey. “And at least…three northern houses. DiStaart, DeFranc and Friarban, probably.” Danai’s northern husband Alberto nodded as she said that. 

“Might be able to get House Poilnan too,” Geoffrey added. “No promises. They’re benefiting from Hans at the moment but we’ll see.” Giacomo was friends with Pietro.

“Even then,” Jens said, shaking his head. “That’s not enough. Not even with the plateau.” 

“It will be once we get most of the southern contingent behind us,” Geoffrey said with a smile, leaning forward just a little, which had the effect of pushing him further into Terry’s mouth. 

“Though House DiCrawe? I don’t think so,” Jens said. 

“No. Through House Fyrhawk.” 

The table went quiet at that, a hush that was only balanced by the constant low ruckus from the children’s table. 

“You don’t think,” asked Bernd, “that House Fyrhawk might be less than willing to support us? We’ve all heard Giacomo talking about what really happened. Jorge didn’t kill Stephan.” 

“Nobody killed Stephan,” Geoffrey said with a smile. “He’s on his way to my manor in the east as we speak. I have a feeling Sophia Fyrhawk will be happy to talk once she realizes I’ve saved her brother’s life. And if not…” Geoffrey shrugged. “She’s not the head of House Fyrhawk. He is. Add to that, if we can coax Isabella DeThane out of hiding, I was courting her daughter. If I can pick that up again, I can rally us tremendous western support as well.” 

“Ignoring all the ifs in that last part, the usurper is still alive?” Danai asked, incredulous. 

“Yes. And House Fyrhawk has a lot of pull down south, despite what’s happened.” Terry was playing with Geoffrey’s balls now. Geoffrey wondered idly how Giacomo had talked him into this. “And nobody listens to them either.” 

“At a certain point, if there are enough of us, they’re going to have to listen,” Tanya mused. “But how do you actually plan to make this work? Saying it is nice, but it accomplishes nothing.” 

Geoffrey smiled, his orgasm building. He looked at his aunt as he started to shoot down his cousin’s throat. “It just so happens I have a plan, Aunt Tanya, and it starts with Darius DiFueure.” As Terry pulled off Geoffrey’s dick, he looked away, waved to a servant. “Let’s get the second course going and I’ll explain.” 

Partway through the second course and Geoffrey’s explanation, Alfie started sucking him off. Terry’s companion Colin replaced him while they were refining the plan during the third course. And by the time Giacomo tucked him back into his pants near the end of desert, Geoffrey was sore, unable to get hard, and he had them right where he wanted them. On his side.


	5. The Best Threats Are the Ones You Don't Even Have to Utter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I'm posting early because I'm going away, so there will be no updates to any of the stories in How Best to Use a Sword for the next few weeks. Thanks for your patience!

“You’re a difficult person to get an audience with, my regent,” Geoffrey said, bowing before Hans DiFueure. He sat regally on the throne, where, apparently, he nearly always took in people who wanted to see him. Francesca and Geoffrey’s father had often met in a sitting room. Geoffrey had used to meet Stephan in hallways, or in his bedroom. 

Of course, Francesca and Gerhard had been friends, and Stephan and Geoffrey had been fucking. Still, Geoffrey couldn’t help but note the difference in tone. 

“My apologies, Geoffrey,” Hans said, inclining his head to show Geoffrey how deep and sincere his apologies were. “I’ve been very busy, as I’m sure you can understand.” 

“Of course. I know how time-consuming running the kingdom can be. I only require a few minutes of your time today.” 

“Your family’s loyalty buys you far more than a few minutes, Geoffrey.” 

Geoffrey wanted so badly to remind Hans that he had a title too. But that would come later. “I was wondering if we might speak in private for a few minutes, my regent?” There weren’t a lot of people in the throne room, mostly just servants and guards. And Jorge and some central noble whose name Geoffrey had to take a minute to remember. Delia DiGaan, that was her name. Hans’s dead wife’s cousin. Her grandmother had also been married to Francisca DiGorre’s aunt, Geoffrey thought. And here he’d been at his dinner party thinking the eastern nobility was incestuous.

Hans shook his head sadly, waving away Jorge before he could whisper something in his ear. He’d not come forward with anything like an apology for Giacomo, Geoffrey thought. He hoped Jorge knew that Hans wasn’t going to be able to protect him if he didn’t produce one in the next few days. “I’m afraid my schedule doesn’t permit that, Geoffrey. I try not to take any secret meetings if I can avoid it, to avoid people getting the wrong idea about me, you see.”

Geoffrey nodded. “Of course. In that case, the throne room suits me fine, my regent.”

“I appreciate your understanding. What can I do for you?”

“I have a message for you,” Geoffrey said. “From my cousin Henry.” 

Hans was sitting straight-backed on the throne, but that seemed to make him sit up. Both Jorge and Lady Delia noticed, which was good. Geoffrey tried not to smile. “Henry Arkhewer?” asked Lady Delia, looking from Geoffrey to Hans.

Geoffrey nodded, answering before Hans could. “The very same. He and his husband are eager to hear from you.” The fact that Henry was apparently married to the Sorcerer King now was useful for Geoffrey. “They regret that your first message to them must have been lost, for they never received it. They ask that you relay messages to them through me in the future, as we have more secure channels for getting messages out east, and want me to let you know that they plan to do the same.” 

Hans’s face grew more and more drawn as Geoffrey spoke. “Is that so?” he asked, after a second.

“It is,” Geoffrey told him. “I’ve been thinking it might be nice to invite them to the capital sometime, since they’re the only nobility not here. It would be a powerful gesture to the people of Ech’kent to show that we’re taking seriously their inclusion in greater Kyainese politics again.” 

Delia DiGaan snorted. “The people of Ech’kent don’t want to be included in greater Kyainese politics.” 

That was true. Geoffrey smiled at her. “I’m sorry, Lady Delia. What part of Ech’kent do your lands border again? Mine are on the southern end, containing the only road leading into the plateau. Not to say that makes me more knowledgeable about the territory, of course. I just didn’t realize we were neighbours.” 

Lady Delia’s lands covered a swath from the southern end of the Shrike’s Lake to the River Nyl, nearing two thousand kilometers from the plateau, and she didn’t answer. 

“Enough,” said Hans, waving a hand. “Thank you, Geoffrey. If you’d tell Lord Henry that I will write him soon.” 

“I will, my regent. I’m sure he’ll appreciate knowing you remember him. He might be the first Arkhewer in decades to be truly interested in good faith communication with us.” Geoffrey smiled. He didn’t have to do this, but it was fun. “Or at least that’s the impression I get judging by how heavily he and his husband backed you in your quest to dethrone the usurper.” 

“Their backing was nothing more than wanting to see a DiGorre monarch on the throne again,” Hans said gruffly, shifting now. “They provided me no more aid than anyone else.” 

“Of course,” Geoffrey said, bowing. It didn’t matter what he said. Geoffrey had no doubt that rumours would spread from this. Delia wouldn’t keep quiet. “In any case, I’ll tell them to expect your letter soon. Thank you for your time, my regent.” He turned and headed to leave. 

“Lord Geoffrey,” Hans’s voice rang out, when he was about halfway to the doors. Geoffrey smiled, and turned around. “As you’re here, I’d been meaning to address a problem.” 

“A problem, my regent?” Geoffrey asked innocently. Whenever he lamented Giacomo’s everything, he had to remember that his brother had learned most of it from him in the first place.

“A representation problem, on the council,” Hans said. Beside him, Jorge looked alarmed. “It occurs to me that in my appointments I neglected to populate the council with someone from the east.”

“Had you?” Geoffrey asked, blinking. “Now that you say that, I suppose you’re right. If you’re looking for a candidate to fill the spot, I’d suggest my aunt Tanya, or Danai DiRocce. They’re both very qualified.”

“I want you to do it, Geoffrey,” Hans said.

Geoffrey shook his head, working his best not to smile. “Given my history with the usurper, I’m not sure how public perception will…”

“I will worry about public perception,” Hans said. 

“My regent, I must advise against…”

“Be quiet, Jorge.” Hans stood up. “Lord Geoffrey, your kingdom needs your service. Will you help me?”

Putting on a solemn expression, Geoffrey bowed again. “If you insist, my regent.” 

“Good. I will see you tomorrow afternoon, then. You’re dismissed.” Hans sat back down. 

“Thank you, my regent,” Geoffrey said, and he left the throne room. No doubt Hans was in there right now telling Delia and Jorge that putting Geoffrey on the council had been his way of controlling Geoffrey so he didn’t go around spreading unpleasant rumours. 

Let him do that. Geoffrey headed home to write a letter to Henry while he waited for Giacomo to get back from wherever he was with Darius DiFueure. It was too late to do damage control. 

Because House DiSheere was not going to be controlled.


	6. After A Long Day's Work, A Good Night's Sleep Is Just What You Need

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings in this chapter for dubcon resultant from somnophilia. Had both parties been awake, consent would have been enthusiastic, but they were not both awake.

Geoffrey yawned, putting down the letter he was reading. It was from Sophia Fyrhawk. She would not, according to her, wish her brother back even if God deigned to grant him his life again, given that he was a traitor who’d nearly destroyed the kingdom. 

It was the right thing to say. But Geoffrey doubted it was true. Maybe not everyone felt the way about their brothers that he did, but he couldn’t imagine caring so little that she honestly wouldn’t want him back if she knew he was alive. Which she soon would, but Geoffrey had to be careful how to word the letter telling her that so she didn’t do something stupid like spread it around. 

And he was too tired for that. He’d had a council meeting today, which had taken most of the afternoon, and then had been doing his correspondence with his stewards back home, and that had taken hours. He’d barely seen Giacomo all day. 

So, figuring he was too tired to write an intricate political letter, he left it there to answer in the morning and went to find his brother. The house was dark, a few lamps lit only because the servants knew he was still awake, and Geoffrey paid little attention to anything as he moved through it.

There were more servants around than usual, because they did a lot of their work at night, but they stayed out of his way and Geoffrey ignored them, heading for Giacomo’s bedroom. He was probably asleep, but Geoffrey just wanted to see him, maybe kiss him goodnight. 

So he eased into Giacomo’s bedroom, shutting the door behind him. The room was dark, but Geoffrey knew the way to the bed, knew the side that Giacomo slept on. He crawled in, feeling around. There was nobody there, the bedsheets cold. Geoffrey frowned.

He opened the curtains, let sharp moonlight into the room. It was definitely empty. Strange. Maybe Giacomo and Alfie were up to something. Or were sleeping somewhere else. Geoffrey went back out into the hall, deciding if it was worth it to look for them or if he should just go to bed.

He yawned again, and decided bed was better. He’d kiss Giacomo tomorrow. So he went to his own room, surprised to find it dark as well. The lamp should be on when he…

Ah. Geoffrey smiled. Two forms were huddled under his blankets in the moonlight. Taking off his clothes, he went around to the side of the bed he knew Giacomo preferred, and slid in, under the blankets. His brother’s body heat greeted him as Geoffrey pressed against him. “You’re in my bed,” he whispered.

Giacomo didn’t answer, breathing soft, nestling a little. Alfie was pressed against his chest. Geoffrey chuckled and kissed Giacomo’s neck. He really hadn’t planned to do anything but kiss him goodnight. But now that Giacomo was here, naked in his bed, Geoffrey wasn’t sure how he was supposed to _not_ get hard against him, and how he was supposed to _not_ start rubbing against Giacomo’s ass.

It was a few thrusts before Geoffrey angled himself properly, managing to get his dick in between Giacomo’s buttcheeks, but then he was good, and he went slowly but firmly, speeding up as he started to leak a little, lubricating the process more and more. 

Geoffrey breathed in Giacomo’s scent, which admittedly wasn’t amazing—dirty little fucker needed a bath again—but smelled like his brother, and that was what he wanted. He snaked his arm under Giacomo, pulling him a little closer, thrusting a little harder. And Geoffrey came, splattering Giacomo’s ass as he let out a quiet sound in Giacomo’s ear, kissing him intermittently.

He lay there for a while, holding Giacomo, waiting for sleep to come over him. It didn’t. And he was still hard and throbbing against Giacomo’s ass, and all he could think was that Giacomo was such a heavy sleeper there was no real danger of waking him up. 

And so Geoffrey used his free hand to position himself against Giacomo’s hole, and with his cum as an inefficient but serviceable lube, he pressed against it. Giacomo was relaxed in sleep, and with a grunt Geoffrey popped in, wrapping both arms around Giacomo to pull him closer as he worked his way in with some difficulty. Giacomo let out the occasional sound, but never stirred.

His breath hot on Giacomo’s neck, Geoffrey took a few minutes to get all the way inside. And once he was fully hilted in his brother, he paused to rest for a long moment. Not because he was yet tired, but just to have a moment with the feeling of being inside Giacomo. He loved this feeling almost as much as he loved Giacomo himself.

But Geoffrey also liked orgasms, so he started moving not long after. He reached down and took Giacomo’s boner in hand, stroking it in tune with his thrusts. It was only fair.

He’d barely gotten through half a dozen of those thrusts before he felt a hand on his, gently pulling him away from Giacomo’s dick. Geoffrey was surprised, but he let it happen. Alfie pulled his hand away, and moved on Giacomo’s other side, until his own dick was up against Giacomo’s. Then he put Geoffrey’s hand back around both their dicks. He didn’t say anything. 

Neither did Geoffrey, resuming moving inside the quiet Giacomo, jerking both him and Alfie off while he fucked Giacomo. Alfie moaned quietly, alternating between biting his hand and kissing Giacomo’s chest and shoulder. 

They went on like that for a good while before Alfie’s noises got louder and he came in Geoffrey’s hand, hiding his face in Giacomo’s shoulder. Geoffrey picked up just a bit of speed, holding them both, and soon finished himself, kissing his brother’s back as he filled him up.

Naturally Geoffrey did the right thing for his brother and kept stroking him, using Alfie’s cum to help him go a little faster. In a few short minutes he had Giacomo shooting as well, a soft cry escaping him. After that, he nestled in between them and fell back into a deeper sleep. 

Geoffrey smiled to himself, yawning again. “Goodnight, Alfie,” he whispered, settling in, not pulling out of Giacomo. It would be a nice way to wake up.

“Goodnight, Geoffrey,” Alfie whispered back, holding Geoffrey’s cum-covered hand, which had moved off their dicks. 

Giacomo was still fast asleep, and soon Geoffrey joined him there.


	7. Family Is One of the Most Powerful Things that Ties the World Together

“You’re out of time, Jorge.”

Jorge looked up from the scroll he was fighting with, frightened. The council meeting hadn’t yet started, and people were mostly mingling. Nobody wanted to mingle with Geoffrey, which gave him a chance to take the seat on Hans’s right hand before anyone else could sit down. Jorge had sat down opposite him, apparently not noticing that Geoffrey was there. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Today’s your last day to get that apology to Giacomo.”

Looking around to make sure nobody else had heard, Jorge leaned in. “Tomorrow is the last day, not today.”

He’d have been much better off to pretend he’d forgotten about it. “So you’re planning to do it, then? Giacomo would prefer it in person, but in writing will be fine as long as you sign it.”

Jorge looked like Geoffrey had taken him by the throat. “You…this is an empty threat and we both know it. Do you plan to have me killed?”

“I do, as a matter of fact,” Geoffrey told him. And for just a second Jorge’s eyes shone with triumph. “And you can tell the regent that if you like, though he’ll likely ask what you’ve done to so offend me and then you’ll have to tell him, won’t you? Is that really worth the risk considering how poorly you lie?” 

“You…” Jorge’s scroll was crinkled under his hand. “Are not nearly as clever as you think you are, Geoffrey DiSheere.” 

“Neither are you, and that’s saying something,” Geoffrey said calmly. He had to admit, he liked tormenting Jorge. Too bad he was going to be dead soon. “Tell me, does Hans keep you around because you’ve convinced him you’re competent or are you just a really good cocksucker?”

“I will not sit here and be _insulted._ ” 

“You’re welcome to leave, the meeting will doubtless be much more productive without you. Besides, cocksucking is a valuable skill, Jorge. Tell me,” he asked, tone becoming more conversational as someone approached the table. “Where in the eastern reaches are you from exactly? Somewhere near Glassheart Castern, unless I miss my guess?”

Jorge started to say something, then saw Hadrian DiWynn making to take a seat beside Geoffrey and cleared his throat. “Yes.” At least he was aware enough to pretend at politeness when people could hear, even if he pretended badly. “A small village a day from the city. I moved to the city when I was about your brother’s age to study magic with Louise Spectrestar.” 

Geoffrey had never heard of her, but he wasn’t from Glassheart Castern. For all he knew, she was a famous wizard. She must be so disappointed in her apprentice if that were the case. “It’s a nice area. My mother was from there, as you know.” Hadrian DiWynn was a svelte, pompous piece of shit who thought he was important because his land was near the capital. Geoffrey ignored him. “I haven’t been since I was a little boy, though.”

“It’s not changed much,” Jorge said, doing his very best to keep up appearances. It was too bad that he only remembered to keep them up when people were within hearing distance and didn’t think about the appearance of his whispered conversation with Geoffrey earlier. “I can’t say I ever cared for it.” 

“Mm,” Geoffrey said. He didn’t care at all, but there was more benefit to be had from this conversation yet. “Does your family still live in that village?”

Jorge went stiff, probably interpreting that as a threat. “I expect so. I haven’t seen them since I left home.”

“Pity.” Geoffrey didn’t care about Jorge’s family, and he certainly didn’t care about Jorge enough to do anything to his family, who were probably perfectly nice and didn’t deserve that. “I’ve always thought family was the most important thing in the world. It’s always a little sad when people lose touch with theirs, or at least I think so.” 

“Sometimes it can’t be helped,” Jorge said, waving his hand dismissively. “Lord Hadrian, I trust your good health has returned?”

“As much as can be expected,” Hadrian said, voice a low roll. Others were taking their seats now. “My doctor keeps urging rest, as if such a thing is possible.” He’d been named Hans’s military advisor. Geoffrey was quite certain the fact that he and Hans shared a grandfather was entirely incidental to that. 

“If you ever need someone to lessen your burden,” Geoffrey said, “I could speak with my great-uncle Bernd. I’m sure he’d be happy to help you in his free time, seeing as he’s here in the capital anyway.”

Lord Hadrian smiled thinly in a way that said he would in no way consider that. “I shall consider that, thank you, Lord Geoffrey. But I admit I would hesitate to inflict such a burden on a man of his age.”

“Perhaps my cousin Jens, then,” Geoffrey suggested. “Though he has a young baby. My aunt Tanya is quite capable.” It was not Geoffrey’s habit to refer to his relatives by their relation to him.

Lord Hadrian’s smile got even thinner. “I assure you, my health is not so poor that I cannot handle the position. And if I may give you some free advice, Geoffrey, your attempts to manoeuvre your family into positions of power are very transparent.”

“And our beloved regent’s aren’t? I believe every position of note in this court is held be someone from a family to whom he’s related.”

“It is,” said Lord Hadrian, looking down at Geoffrey, “in the best interest of the nation to have it governed by people who aren’t burdened by regional interests. Look what happened last time someone from the borders of Kyaine was named to a critical position. Do you not agree?”

Geoffrey did not. Stephan had usurped the throne because two of those unburdened central Kyainese lords—and there was no point in mentioning that Ulrich Elderbyne’s sister was married Hadrian DiWynn’s cousin—had told him to. But he nodded. “A very good point,” he said, noting the doors opening. He stood as the regent walked into the room. “We wouldn’t want a throne that was unduly influenced by regional interests.”

Hadrian couldn’t answer as Hans swept in, guards taking up places at the door—on the inside, rather than outside, as Francesca and Stephan had both had them do—and came around to his chair, sitting at the head of the table without fanfare. That this created a visual of him sitting between two easterners who’d been conspiring quietly earlier was really a rather unfortunate coincidence, Geoffrey thought. 

They all sat once Hans had, and he surveyed them for a second before speaking. “We have much to discuss,” he said, and his voice was coated in a false sanguinity that immediately put Geoffrey on edge. Something was wrong. “Starting with some very good news.” 

About half the room looked the way Geoffrey felt, and he took note of which half. It was useful to know how smart his opponents were. But he did that only with a glance, keeping his focus on Hans. 

Hans took a breath, laid his hands flat on the table. And delivered a threat in the clothes of celebration. “Our people have found Dahlia DiGorre. She’s on her way here now, to restore the DiGorre monarchy to its rightful place in Hawk’s Roost.”


	8. Politics Is Equal Parts Planning and Performance

“I graciously and sincerely apologize for offending, my lord,” Giacomo read, giggling as he bounced up and down on Geoffrey’s cock. “Does he know you’re…ah, fuck, Geoffrey, does he know you’re not supposed to say your apology is gracious?”

Geoffrey gripped Giacomo’s hips harder, bouncing him again. “No, I don’t think he knows that.”

Giacomo leaned back, clenching around Geoffrey. “Let’s not tell him.”

“Obviously,” Geoffrey agreed, kissing his ear. “It’s more fun that way.”

They fell into a silence after that. Or rather, not a silence, as it was filled with sounds, grunts and moans and sounds of contentment. A wordlessness as they fucked, rocking back and forth in Gerhard’s big armchair. Jorge’s letter was crumpling in Giacomo’s hand.

As always, Giacomo’s asshole felt like it had been made to house Geoffrey’s cock, and he wondered idly as he fucked his brother how anything that felt like this and was so easy and natural could be wrong. This was so obviously what was meant to happen that he had to assume that people who shook their heads and tried to make this impossible just must not have had brothers. 

The door opened and Alfie slipped in the room quietly. He was the only one, him and Javier, who didn’t knock. “He’s here,” he said. 

Geoffrey nodded, slowing down his fucking of Giacomo now. Jorge had asked to come over to apologize in person in addition to sending his stupid letter. “Want to bet he’s just going to say exactly what’s in his letter again?” Geoffrey whispered in Giacomo’s ear. Giacomo giggled again. Alfie sat down opposite them and undid his pants to jerk off as he watched them.

Geoffrey ended up fucking Giacomo for another half-hour before it was finally time to cum in his ass, which Geoffrey did quietly but with force, shooting six spurts before finishing. Though he was tired and sensitive now, Geoffrey did right by his brother, fucking him for another five minutes or so before Giacomo came with a whinge, leaning forward as he did. They sat together for another minute before Giacomo got up, pulling Geoffrey out to stand. “Oops,” he said, showing Geoffrey the letter. “I made a mess on Jorge’s gracious apology.” Indeed, it was covered in his cum now.

Geoffrey laughed. “Is that what you’re planning to do with his verbal one too?”

“Ew, I don’t want him anywhere near my dick, thanks.”

Giacomo went to pull up his pants, but Geoffrey stopped him, crouching behind Giacomo and licking his thighs, getting all the cum that was running down. He licked around the hole too, cleaning it, though being this close to it just made Geoffrey want to stick his cock up there again. But there was a time and place, and he stood up reluctantly, pulling Giacomo’s pants up for him. Giacomo turned around and cleaned up Geoffrey’s cock with his own tongue, making sure it was rock hard before tucking it back into his pants. 

By this point, Alfie had made his mess and cleaned it up, waiting for them. Giacomo went up to him. “Sorry for the wait.”

Alfie shrugged. “It was fun to watch. Do you think you guys could do me from both ends tonight?”

“Sure,” Giacomo said, kissing Alfie on the mouth. He balled up the letter and tossed it in the fire, and they all went out into the hallway. By the time they got to the room where Jorge was waiting, it had been most of an hour since he’d arrived.

Predictably, he was annoyed. “There you are,” he said, from a corner of the room. He’d been pacing, or poking around. Jorge tried to smooth his expression, which didn’t really work. “I was starting to think you’d forgotten me.”

“Not for a moment, Jorge,” Geoffrey promised him, indicating some chairs. He sat in one, and so did Giacomo and Alfie. Only then did Geoffrey deign to notice that the room only had three chairs. Oh, well. “To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?”

“I have come…” Jorge looked lost even though he was just standing there. He faced Giacomo. “I have come to apologize to you in person, lord Giacomo. Please accept my apology for…neglecting your efforts during the removal of the usurper.”

At no point in Jorge’s florid letter had he mentioned that he’d lied. Giacomo nodded at him. “Thank you, Jorge. I accept your apology. It made me very sad that you did that. I had hoped that since we were both from the east, we could get along better than we do.”

Jorge looked profoundly uncomfortable, and he looked from Giacomo to Geoffrey for a moment. Geoffrey remained silent. “I…would also like that, my lord,” he lied. “I realize I haven’t been the most…open of allies to your house, but of course I think we should be friends. Kyaine will be better for it if we all agree to get along, don’t you think?”

“Of, of course,” Jorge said, nodding. He seemed pleased. “It’s time to put silly squabbles behind us.”

“Especially now that we’re going to have a DiGorre queen again soon,” Geoffrey added. There was no further news about Dahlia DiGorre, but she’d be in the capital soon. Geoffrey was very curious to see if the girl who came to the capital was actually Dahlia DiGorre. 

“Yes,” Jorge agreed, clearly uncertain. So he didn’t know anything about this either. Interesting. “It will be a return to a much-needed stability in our nation.”

“I presume Hans plans to abdicate his regency immediately,” Geoffrey said, casual. “Being that Dahlia is old enough to assume the throne on her own.”

“I…would assume so, yes,” Jorge said, looking around furtively. He was starting to shift back and forth, uncomfortable standing. “Though she may be traumatized from her recent experiences. It would be understandable if she were to want her uncle to remain as regent for a short time, wouldn’t it?”

“It would,” Geoffrey agreed.

“I hope she does. That’ll give her more free time so I can…”

“Giacomo.”

Giacomo cleared his throat, falling silent. “Sorry.” 

“What’s this?” Jorge asked, looking back and forth between them. “You two are scheming something again.”

Geoffrey chuckled. So much for friendship. “Scheming is such a silly word, Jorge. Some things are just best kept within families, is all.”

“Such as?” Jorge leaned forward, seeming excited now. He may as well have just written in his letter that he planned to spy on them. 

Geoffrey sighed elaborately. “I suppose since we’re friends it can’t hurt to tell you. Giacomo is planning to court the princess upon her return. There’s a strong political argument for marrying a member of an eastern house to the crown, and Giacomo’s more charming than I am.”

Jorge’s eyes were wide. “That’s…your plan? To marry your house to House DiGorre?”

“It’s a good one, isn’t it?” Geoffrey asked, smiling. “The eastern houses all got together and came up with it. I trust you won’t say anything, right?” he added. “It would be unfortunate if this all got out before we were ready.”

“Of, of course,” Jorge said, clearing his throat. “Friends…keep each other’s confidence, don’t they?”

“Exactly,” Geoffrey said. He stood up. “It’s nearly dinner time. Would you like to stay and eat with us?” This was the diciest part of all of this. If Jorge said yes, they would have to eat dinner with him. 

Fortunately, he declined. “No, no. I wouldn’t want to impose. Perhaps another time.”

“Very well. Someone will show you out. Thank you so much for coming.”

“Yes, thank you,” said Giacomo, standing as well. “I really appreciate it, Jorge. I’m glad we’re friends now.”

“As am I,” Jorge promised, bowing. And he left, all but running. 

Giacomo waited until he was down the hallway to start laughing. “You’d think it wouldn’t be fun since he’s so stupid, but he’s just so stupid.”

Geoffrey grinned, kissing Giacomo’s forehead. “You did very well,” he said. 

“Do you guys really think Hans will have him executed over that, though?” Alfie asked, watching the door uncertainly. “That is your plan, right? To have Hans kill him for you.”

“It is,” Geoffrey said. “And it’ll work if we play it right. There are a few other things we need to do. But in the meantime, we should go have dinner. We need to keep our energy up for tonight, after all.”

Giacomo took Geoffrey’s hand as they went to the dining room, and Geoffrey reflected on the hilarity of assuming that he’d ever marry Dahlia DiGorre. She was a nice girl, but Geoffrey wanted Giacomo all to himself. 

Besides, there were no political benefits to marrying someone who was never going to be queen.


	9. The Bigger Your Ambition, the More You Must Be Willing to Sacrifice

Geoffrey looked down at the wooden box that had been delivered with mild concern. It was from Henry, and the note on it said _Geoffrey, pass this on to the king regent, if you would._

Geoffrey had opened it. All that was inside was a padded sack full of white balls that looked like eggs. What kind of eggs they were he had no idea, but he wanted to know. So he’d taken a few out and put them aside for him to have someone look at before resealing the box and summoning Herman. 

“You called, my lord?” Herman asked, two minutes later as he came into the room after knocking. 

“I did. Have this box delivered to the king regent. Tell him it’s a gift from me and my cousin.” 

“Yes, my lord,” Herman said, taking the box—it wasn’t as heavy as it seemed—and retreating. Geoffrey sighed and sat down, wishing Giacomo was here. He could use a blowjob. He also wished Javier was here. He’d have Stephan to their manor out east by now, probably. Geoffrey had sent a letter to the house for him when he arrived. 

But until he came back, neither of them was here. Giacomo was getting naked with Janus DiCrawe—or at least that was what Geoffrey assumed was happening. Maybe they were just talking. It wasn’t like it was a sure thing that Janus was sucking his brother’s cock right now and hoping to be praised for it.

Great, now Geoffrey was hard. 

He wasn’t going to jerk off, though. Giacomo would be back eventually and then he’d help with the problem that he’d unwittingly caused. Geoffrey wasn’t going to waste cum on his hand when it could be going inside his baby brother. 

Plus he had work to do. He was in the middle of writing a letter to Carlotte Havenloft openly sounding her out about a marriage between Giacomo and Carmen, which she’d already been told to put in a drawer and ignore until such a time as it was necessary to produce it as proof. Between that and the letter he was sending to Tanya expressing his concern that Jorge had implied to him that Hans was answering to a higher—or more eastern—power, they should be a long way towards getting rid of him. And destabilizing Hans at the same time. 

As he was finishing his letter to Carlotte, a knock sounded on the door. “Sir,” another servant said, poking her head in. “Lady Tanya is here, asking to see you. She didn’t inform anyone she was coming.”

Of course she hadn’t, because then someone would have known. Geoffrey nodded. “Send her in. Bring coffee.” 

“Yes, my lord,” she said, withdrawing. 

Geoffrey adjusted his boner in his pants, which would likely stay there until Giacomo was back. It was too bad Terry wasn’t with Tanya, he thought. In absence of a baby brother, a little cousin was good too. Terry was a cute little guy. 

Though on the other hand, asking Tanya if Terry could suck him off during their meeting might be a bit crass for her liking. He’d much rather have Terry suck his cock without his mother knowing it was happening, even if she was five feet away.

By the time Tanya came in, Geoffrey was almost disappointed. “Aunt Tanya,” he said, rising. He hugged her from the chest up, then led her to sit down in two warm chairs instead of behind the desk. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I just thought we should talk. We haven’t properly since the dinner party.” 

By properly, Geoffrey took her to mean with nobody else around. “I suppose not. What did you want to talk about? Oh, I have a letter for you that I’ll need you to drag out someday to implicate Jorge and Hans in a nonexistent conspiracy.” 

“Of course.” Tanya smiled as she took her seat. “I’ll keep it somewhere safe. I’d like to talk to you about the overall plan.” 

“Okay,” Geoffrey said, crossing his legs. “What about it?”

“The plan is to make Danai queen,” Tanya said.

Oh. Geoffrey saw where this was going. “Of course.”

“Or at least it was in the room with everyone else.”

“Of course,” Geoffrey repeated. “What else was I going to say in a room with everyone else?” It would have been stupid to name anyone but Danai as the centre of the plan.

“Indeed. But it seems to me if we’re staging a coup anyway, a linkage to House DiGorre isn’t necessary—and indeed, not having an obvious one would be better.”

“Hm,” Geoffrey vocalized, not an agreement, just a sound. “That’s a valid point.” 

Tanya raised an eyebrow, not impressed. “Just because I’m the only one who figured it out at the table doesn’t mean the rest of them won’t eventually realize you’re planning to make yourself king, Geoffrey.” 

Geoffrey felt worried for a second there, then snorted a laugh. “Aunt Tanya. I’m disappointed in you. You know me better than that.”

Tanya looked at him for a long moment, then comprehension dawned. “Ah, of course.” 

“I’d appreciate it if you could keep that to yourself for now,” Geoffrey said. “It’s far enough off that saying the wrong thing could jeopardize it.”

“By which you mean you haven’t told Giacomo yet.” 

“His birthday is in a month,” Geoffrey told her. “I thought it would make a nice surprise.” 

“Of course you did.” Tanya sighed. “Tell me how long the two of you have been lovers.”

Geoffrey felt a curling in his gut, but there was no point denying it. “Long enough.” 

“Long enough that telling me would make me want to see you castrated?”

There were a few things Geoffrey could tell her that would make her want to see that, a few of them involving her son. “I love him,” Geoffrey said. “More than anything. I never hurt him or did anything he didn’t want. And I never will.” 

Tanya sighed, low and quiet. “I believe that, if nothing else. It’s obvious he feels the same way. He worships you.” 

“I worship him back.”

“I believe you. As long as the way you feel about him isn’t getting in the way of doing what’s best.” 

“It won’t.” Geoffrey wasn’t an idiot. 

“So when it’s advantageous for him to marry, and for you to do the same, you won’t balk at that.” 

Now Geoffrey’s stomach did a flip. The idea of Giacomo swearing himself to some…person who wasn’t him made him want to vomit. But he knew it might happen someday. Not if he could help it, but it was something that might happen. For both of them. House DiSheere would need heirs someday. “No, I won’t.”

“Good,” Tanya said, nodding. “It’s a sacrifice we all have to make at some point.”

“I know.” And Geoffrey and Giacomo could easily marry other people and still be together. “It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make. I’m not naïve enough to think this is going to cost me nothing, Aunt Tanya.” Geoffrey was willing to do anything to get Giacomo what he deserved. Anything.

“Good. As long as we’re on the same page.” Tanya smiled. “I never liked your father, you know.”

“Neither did I. Would you like something to drink?”

Tanya stayed for about an hour, and they talked politics and family. And later that night, once Giacomo was back, Geoffrey emptied himself over and over into his one and only king, worshipping his brother with everything he had, Geoffrey made that promise to himself again.

He’d do anything for Giacomo. No matter what he had to sacrifice.


	10. Sex Is Sometimes Politics and Sometimes A Good Break from Politics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to warn here that the sex in this chapter is more underage than usual, and is contained to the second half of the chapter if you'd rather just read the plot in the first half. :)

“Do you suppose that Hans ever plans to let any of the nobility leave the capital?” Geoffrey asked, wondering if he should have another glass of wine. Probably not.

Leonie Elderbyne was one of the last people Geoffrey had thought would ever extend a dinner invitation to him. She was a quiet woman who kept her hair cut short and was still wearing mourning black for her husband. She nodded. “I presume he’ll do so once he’s presented the princess and prepared the transition of power.” 

The only transition of power Hans was planning would be from his cock into someone else’s body, whether this imaginary Dahlia’s or someone else’s, but Geoffrey nodded. “We can only hope that’s soon.” There was no way Leonie was stupid; she had to know that wasn’t going to happen. 

“Are you eager to return home, Lord Geoffrey?” she asked him, pouring another glass for herself. 

Geoffrey was not, though it did have its appeals. “I’m thinking of sending Giacomo back when I can. He loves the capital, but it’s so dangerous here and I can’t help but worry for him.” He looked around as if looking for Giacomo, but he and Alfie had disappeared with Uri and his companion Fabien after dinner had ended. They were ostensibly looking at the drawings Fabien had done of Uri, but Geoffrey wasn’t stupid.

“That’s most unfortunate. Uri really seems to value his friendship.” 

No doubt he did. Boys Uri’s age valued the attention of boys Giacomo’s age. Even boys Giacomo’s age who’d killed their dads. And Geoffrey had a feeling that was the real reason he was here, but it hadn’t come up yet as a topic, as though they were just normal people who didn’t have the beginnings of a blood feud between them. “Giacomo likes Uri a lot,” Geoffrey said. “He talks about him often.” He thought about it a second and decided fuck it, they’d basically been exchanging pleasantries for two hours. “He feels terrible, about what happened.” 

“About killing our father,” Uri’s sister Lydia translated, though she’d let her mother do most of the talking so far. 

Well, they weren’t mincing words. “Yes,” Geoffrey agreed. “He believed it was necessary at the time, for the stability of the kingdom.” 

“For the stability of the kingdom,” Lydia snorted. “And for revenge for killing your father.” 

“Lord Ulrich never raised a hand against my father, and I’ll remind you that Giacomo and I were the biggest supporters of the people who did.” 

“Second only to my father.”

Geoffrey nodded. Lady Leonie stood up. “I’ll leave you two to talk.”

“Mother, you needn’t…”

“Nonsense, dear,” she said, looking at Geoffrey. “I was never any good at politics, and I’ve lost what little taste for it I managed to acquire. Lydia’s the head of the house with Ulrich’s death, so I plan to retire from the public scene for good as soon as the king regent lets everyone go home.” 

That…was good. He could do without Ulrich Elderbyne’s widow hanging around reminding everyone that Giacomo had killed a loyal man. “Hawk’s Roost will be losing a singular woman with your absence, Lady Leonie.”

Leonie Elderbyne smiled. “Thank you, Lord Geoffrey. Please tell Giacomo to be careful with Uri. He’s fragile.”

“I will.” 

She nodded. “It’s late. I’ll ask the servants to prepare guest rooms for you and your brother. Please, stay the night.” 

Geoffrey didn’t really want to do that, but it was a generous invitation. “We will, if it’s not an intrusion. Thank you for the invitation.”

Leonie nodded one more time, then withdrew. “Goodnight.” 

Geoffrey watched her go, then turned his gaze back to Lydia, who’d also waited. She took after her father, long in the face. “We don’t have to stay, if you’d rather we went home.” 

“No,” Lydia said with a wave. “Uri would enjoy it. He has a crush on Giacomo.” 

“Everyone has a crush on Giacomo.” 

“Including you?”

“Yes.” Why lie?

“So it’s true.” Lydia snorted. “Whatever. Your brother killed my father.”

“Your father helped orchestrate the deaths of a number of people, including the queen, the king, the crown prince and my own father,” Geoffrey reminded her. 

“Yeah, he did,” Lydia agreed, shaking her head. “I asked him not to do that. He didn’t listen. Let’s talk about what you can do so I don’t have to publicly hate you for the rest of our lives.” 

Geoffrey nodded, slow. Lydia was more practical than he’d expected. “Do you plan to privately hate me for the rest of our lives?”

“Hard to say. For the next few years, probably.” 

Geoffrey sighed. “Oh, good. So you’re not going to insist we marry.” 

“Dear God no, then I’d have to touch your cock and I know where that’s been.” Lydia smiled. “No. When your plan to marry Giacomo to Dahlia DiGorre fails—which you know it will—you’re going to help ensure that my bid to court her is successful.”

Ah. Well, now that was interesting. Lydia seemed like someone Geoffrey could be friends with. “And I presume we’re all aware that the girl we’re competing over is not Dahlia DiGorre in the slightest.”

“Now, that hardly matters, does it?” Lydia asked with a smile.

“No,” Geoffrey chuckled. “I guess it doesn’t, really. Okay. Deal.” It hardly mattered anyway. Plus, the fact that she knew about it meant that Jorge had told someone, so that was good. “We should start by getting you a position on the council.”

“So that I can be your flunky?”

“No, I don’t need any of those.” Geoffrey leaned back in his chair. “So that you can be a vocal critic of Hans’s connections with the Sorcerer King.”

“How vocal?” Lydia asked, rocking from side to side just a little.

“Vocal enough that him being kept on as regent would be a bad idea. Therefore forcing him to show his true colours when he refuses to step down.” Geoffrey shrugged. “But, you know. Not vocal enough that he decides to have you assassinated.”

Lydia nodded. “If you can get me on the council I can do that.”

“Sounds good.”

They both stood. “I’ll have someone show you to the guest rooms. Goodnight, Geoffrey.”

“Goodnight, Lydia. Thanks for the invitation.”

“Of course. And just so you know.” Lydia paused at the door. “I don’t care what Uri does in his bedroom. He’s young, but I don’t care. But if Giacomo hurts my brother, I’ll hurt his in exchange, got it?”

Geoffrey nodded. “That’s fair.”

“Glad we’re on the same page. Goodnight.”

A servant led him to a guest bedroom, and Geoffrey sent him away, telling him he didn’t need anything before bed. And once the door was closed he smiled to himself. This was going to work out okay, he thought.

Geoffrey undressed, lay in the bed. It took him a while to start to drift off, and when he did, there was a click. He looked up, and a panel in the wall opened, admitting Giacomo, who waved. “Hey, they have secret passages between the rooms here. How come we don’t have secret passages between the rooms?”

“What can I say?” Geoffrey asked, grinning. Giacomo was naked. “Our house sucks.”

“Yeah,” Giacomo agreed, gesturing. Out from the passage came Uri Elderbyne, a slight boy with frizzy hair, and his companion Fabien, who was awfully light skinned, enough that one of his parents must be a northerner. Alfie was bringing up the rear, shutting the passage behind him. None of them were wearing anything. 

“Doing some naked exploring?” Geoffrey asked as he sat up to see the four of them properly. Uri seemed a bit shy, hiding a little behind Giacomo. 

“Exploring something, anyway,” Giacomo said, hand on Uri’s wrist. “Do you want to tell Geoffrey what you told us?”

Uri did not look like he wanted to tell Geoffrey anything, which since it was definitely something perverted and Uri had only ever spoken to Geoffrey to say please and thank you when he’d been with Giacomo, was not super surprising. But he swallowed. “I want…to try having a real dick inside my butt.”

If Geoffrey hadn’t already been hard and naked he’d have ripped a hole in his pants with the force of that. “Well, it’s pretty fun,” he said. “I’m sure Fabien would do it if you asked.” Fabien was kind of nodding beside Uri.

“I already…me and Fabien already did…” Uri swallowed. “We were hoping we could…um…”

“He wanted me to do it,” Giacomo explained, sounding very proud of himself. To be fair, he’d outdone himself to get Uri this needy this quickly. “He wants to fuck a bigger boy, Geoffrey. But I told him you were better at it than me, so you should do it before I do.”

Aw, that was so nice of him. “Are you sure? He’s your friend.”

“And I want the best for him, and that’s you.”

Geoffrey chuckled, waved them all over to the bed. “If you’re sure that’s what you want,” he said to Uri. “I know Giacomo’s very convincing, but he’ll still be your friend if you say no to him, promise.”

Uri shook his head. “No. I do want it. Please. Geoffrey?”

“Well, how am I supposed to say no to that?” Geoffrey asked, beckoning him over. “Come on, then, let’s get you prepared.”

Uri beamed, crawling right into Geoffrey’s lap. Geoffrey kissed him, one arm around him, being gentle, getting him comfortable. He held out his other hand and Giacomo sucked on his fingers for a second, and then Geoffrey pulled those out and used that hand to cup Uri’s butt, waiting until he relaxed a bit to start sliding one finger around the rim of his hole. “Let me know when you want me to stop, okay?” Geoffrey asked him quietly. 

“I’m _fine_ , insisted Uri. “I’m not a little boy.”

Geoffrey chuckled. “No, you’re not.” He popped a finger inside and Uri gasped, and clenched hard around it. Giacomo and Alfie had pulled Fabien in between them and Giacomo had his hand on Fabien’s belly as they watched.

Geoffrey went as slowly as he could, kissing Uri nicely and getting him used to the finger, sliding it in and moving it around, until he was once again relaxed enough to have forgotten it was there. “How do you feel?” he asked.

“Good,” Uri said, content, his boner pressed against Geoffrey’s belly.

Geoffrey pressed another finger inside, slowly. “How about now?”

“Ng,” Uri said now, making a bit of a face. But he got through it, the finger going in. And Geoffrey repeated the process until he was comfortable again. His dick wanted to burst, but this was worth doing right, and not just because he didn’t want to hurt Uri. Fabien was getting fingered by Giacomo now too. 

“Hey, how many times have you sucked Giacomo’s dick tonight?” Geoffrey asked out of curiosity as he stretched Uri. 

“T-two,” Uri whispered, swallowing. 

Geoffrey grinned at that, and found Uri’s prostate, rubbing it hard. “That’s nice of you.”

“Ah…” Uri said, gasping suddenly. Geoffrey kept at it, waiting until he was fully lost in it, writhing in Geoffrey’s lap, to start pushing in the third finger. It was partway in before Uri noticed and when he did, Geoffrey just bumped his prostate harder, making his body ignore pain in favour of pleasure. By the time his fingers were all the way in, Uri didn’t seem to care. 

He lay Uri down on the bed, keeping his fingers inside. “Can I get wet?” Geoffrey asked the other three boys, and then Fabien was there, licking and then going down on Geoffrey’s cock with Giacomo’s fingers still inside his other end. Geoffrey fucked Uri with his fingers for a bit, one goal in mind. And after only a few more minutes, he got there. Uri shuddered and made a funny sound as Geoffrey’s fingers because too much for him, and it was all he could do not to cum in Fabien’s mouth at the same time.

He got Fabien to move off and waited until Uri was done, climbing over him to kiss him on the lips. “How did that feel?”

“G-good,” Uri said, panting. “Really good.”

“Do you still want my dick or are you okay?”

“No,” Uri said immediately. “Put it in. Please?”

“Okay,” Geoffrey said, pulling his fingers out, and then lining up. The other three were watching. And then, in the house on his mother’s invitation and having just forged an alliance with his sister, Geoffrey slid his cock inside Uri. Uri whinged and gripped the sheet’s and Giacomo’s arm, struggling to keep still, and Geoffrey went slow, slow, as slow as he could, pulling back when he met too much resistance and sliding back in, setting up a gentle rhythm that soon had Uri’s hips moving with his, and they worked together until Geoffrey was all the way inside.

“You’re doing so good, Uri,” Giacomo said from his side. 

Fabien nodded. “Yeah, good job,” he agreed. Alfie had taken over his fingering, but he seemed pretty used to it now.

Uri nodded, eyes shut. “It’s so…cool…”

“Yeah,” Geoffrey agreed, starting to move, still slow, because otherwise he’d cum in ten seconds. “It’s great, right?”

Uri nodded again, and they kept going. But it wasn’t destined to last long. Uri was so sensitive it was no surprise when he started shuddering again, and Geoffrey went a little faster, a little harder, and soon was spilling inside him while Uri held Giacomo and Fabien’s hands. 

Uri, not so fragile as his mom thought, grinned up at Giacomo as Geoffrey pulled out. “You were right,” he said. “That is really good.”

“Told you.”

“Can you do it now?”

“You sure you can handle it?”

Uri just nodded, and Giacomo took up his position. Meanwhile, Fabien had slid off Alfie’s hand, and was laying beside his companion, holding his hand and looking at Geoffrey. “Please?”

“If you’re sure.”

“I am.”

And so Geoffrey started to push into Fabien’s well-stretched hole, and Fabien clung to him as Geoffrey helped him grow up too. And when he was done, he let Alfie take his place, and Geoffrey sat back and watched the four of them exhaust themselves. 

When Giacomo and Alfie were done, and when Uri and Fabien were done, they all lay there together for a good while. “I liked that a lot,” Uri said after several minutes. “I want to do it again.”

“We will,” Giacomo promised. “If you want you can hang out with me and some of my other friends, too.”

That had the desired effect, and Uri cuddled Giacomo close. “You’re so nice.” He was a bit high, but that wasn’t unusual. Uri yawned. 

“You should get them back to their room so Leonie doesn’t realize they spent any time here,” Geoffrey muttered, and Giacomo nodded, sitting up. “And hey?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks,” Geoffrey said, giving his brother a kiss.

“You too. Come on, Uri. Fabien’s falling asleep. I need to show you guys how to clean up, okay?”

“Okay,” Uri pouted, and he let them pull him and Fabien to their feet and stumble over to the secret passage. “Goodnight, Geoffrey.”

“Goodnight, Uri. Come stay over at our house sometime.”

“I will.” And with a giggle, he disappeared, followed by Fabien and Alfie. Giacomo smiled at Geoffrey one last time before following after them, leaving Geoffrey alone in the room. 

That was House Elderbyne well and truly taken care of, Geoffrey thought. Lydia would betray him eventually, but Giacomo would have Uri forever now. And more importantly than politics, they’d all had fun. 

Sometimes that was important all on its own.


	11. It Goes without Saying that Major Setbacks are Those You Didn't See Coming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet another plot twist!

“You know what I liked about Francesca?” Giacomo asked, idly pulling at the strings on his coat. 

“Nothing? You didn’t know her.” 

Giacomo shrugged. “I liked that she didn’t hold court every fucking week. Why does Hans keep making us come here and stand around for hours so that he can tell us nothing about anything? What’s the point of it?”

Geoffrey rubbed Giacomo’s back, feeling that way himself. “You know what the point of it is.” 

“That doesn’t make it any less stupid,” Giacomo grumbled, waving at Uri as the Elderbynes took their places nearby. Uri smiled shyly and waved back. “We already know he’s in charge. Reminding us of it all the time just reminds us that we don’t like him.” 

“Did we need reminding of that?” Geoffrey wanted to know. He remembered it with great clarity every day. 

“No. What does he want?” Giacomo wanted to know. “He didn’t tell you or anyone on the council?” 

“No,” Geoffrey said. “He didn’t tell us this was happening until we all got the summons earlier.” And Hans hadn’t come to the council meeting just now either, in which nothing had been discussed except the fact that none of them knew what the fuck was happening. Even Jorge didn’t seem to know, not that that was a surprise. But he didn’t even claim to know, which was new.

Giacomo made an agitated noise. Geoffrey understood—not knowing what was going on was worse than it being some terrible thing. “It’s got to be Dahlia, right?” he asked. “That’s what this is going to be about. He’s going to present whatever girl he’s pulled out of nowhere and told to pretend to be the princess.” 

Geoffrey nodded. That was his guess too. “That seems likely. If he waits much longer, it’s going to be even more transparent that he’s full of shit. He’ll have to present her to us, and find some way to convince us it’s best to pretend it’s really her without saying anything, and he’ll want to do it soon. It’s what I’d do.” 

“Hm.” Giacomo fit a lot of disagreement into that sound. 

“You wouldn’t?”

“I wouldn’t have pretended to have the princess in the first place,” Giacomo said. “It’s stupid. I get that having someone named DiGorre legitimates his regency, but as long as someone knows he’s lying, which everyone does, the possibility of him being exposed to the people is there.” 

“But without the legitimacy afforded to him by her name, the people are eventually going to question his regency anyway,” Geoffrey countered. “He had to do this.” 

“Yeah, well,” Giacomo shrugged. “I wouldn’t have done it. But I wouldn’t have pretended to rule as regent in the first place if I didn’t have someone to be regent for.” 

“And if you did, you’d be damn sure they’d do everything you said.”

“Damn fucking sure.” 

“Well,” Geoffrey ruffled Giacomo’s hair. “Then we know you’d be a better king than Hans, don’t we?”

Giacomo rolled his eyes. “Stephan was a better king than Hans and you had to dress him in the mornings.” 

“Hey,” Geoffrey said, thinking. “I have to dress you in the mornings, too.” 

“Yeah, yeah, and you undress me at night.”

“Usually you do that part before I can.” 

Before Giacomo could retort to that, someone blew a royal trumpet—different from normal trumpets because it was more obnoxious—and the doors at the back of the room opened, admitting Hans, who stepped up to the dais slowly, sat down on the throne slowly. “Greetings, friends,” Hans intoned, tone grave. “I’ve asked you all here for a joyous purpose.”

Giacomo snorted. Quietly. 

“As you know,” Hans went on, “I serve as regent only until such a time as the rightful ruler of Kyaine can return to the throne. And I am delighted to tell you that time is today.” 

The main doors to the throne room opened and there was some more fanfare, guards coming in ahead of the girl. She strode up the aisle and Geoffrey didn’t turn to see her, figuring he’d see her just fine when she passed by him. It didn’t matter overly what she looked like, after all. 

“What the fuck?” Giacomo muttered, and that made Geoffrey turn. 

And passing them down the aisle, headed towards the dais, was Dahlia DiGorre. 

Giacomo had already summed it up, so Geoffrey just kept quiet. What the hell was she doing here? How had Hans found the actual princess? 

And what was she about to do?

The room was completely silent as Dahlia stepped onto the dais. Hans stood, removing the crown and stepping aside from the throne. “As you can see, my niece Dahlia has returned to us,” he said. “And will be taking the throne effective immediately.” 

A murmuring filled the room at that. Near Hans, Jorge looked like he’d swallowed his teeth. Everyone seemed shocked. Geoffrey was shocked. He would never have predicted any of this. 

What the fuck was Hans up to?

Dahlia let Hans put the crown on her head. She was tall, flat-faced like all her family, her hair done in braids and piled atop her head, wearing her house’s colours in her dress. She didn’t sit, but looked out at them. “This has been a trying year,” she said, sounding exactly like Geoffrey remembered her. He didn’t think this was magic, or any sort of disguise or anything. It was her. “For all of us, I daresay my family more than many. I’m grateful to all of you for your support of my uncle’s regency, and for your repudiation of the usurper. But we mustn’t dwell on the past. It’s time that our kingdom moved forward, past all this bloodshed and jealousy, and into the future. It’s time we stop being afraid of the dark. The sun’s come up now.”

The assembled nobles applauded, Geoffrey and Giacomo included. What else could they do? Geoffrey knew Dahlia, had known her for years. She’d never been that poetic. Hans had written that for her, or someone had. 

He had to be puppeteering her. Or they were working together. But why? It didn’t make any sense. 

But now wasn’t the time to make sense of it. It didn’t matter anyway. Geoffrey’s plan had no place for Dahlia DiGorre regardless whether she was a real person or a fiction. This may have changed everything for now, but in the long run in changed nothing. 

So Geoffrey applauded the return of his queen like a good subject, the picture of loyalty and obedience to the crown.


	12. When Things Fall Apart, They Rarely Do So in Increments

“Dahlia is still letting Hans rule as regent,” Geoffrey mused, tapping his pen against the table. He had written a letter to Franz about Dahlia, and was currently trying to write one to Henry. “Why would she do that? She’s old enough to take the throne for herself.” 

Giacomo lifted his head from Geoffrey’s cock, looked up at him from under the desk. “Maybe she’s tired, or sad because of, you know. Maybe she just wants some time.” 

“Maybe,” Geoffrey agreed, looking down at the blank page. “I think there’s something else going on.” He was still sure Hans had to be controlling Dahlia somehow.

“Mm,” Giacomo said, idly licking Geoffrey’s cock. “Or maybe she’s tired and sad and you’re overthinking things, which is what led to neither of us seeing this coming.” 

Geoffrey reached down and casually flicked Giacomo’s nose. “Because what, I’m the only one who overthought it?”

“I only did what you wanted,” Giacomo said, eyes shining with innocence. “You’re the older brother here, aren’t you?”

Rolling his eyes, Geoffrey looked down at his brother. “Oh, if all you’re going to do is make excuses, then do something more useful with your mouth, will you?”

Giacomo snorted and, without another word, took Geoffrey back into his mouth and started sucking again like a good little brother should. He didn’t even object when Geoffrey pushed his head down, making him take the whole thing into his mouth in one go. He’d been sucking Geoffrey’s dick for just under half his life now, so he was an expert. 

Giacomo blew him slowly, giving Geoffrey lots of time to compose a crappy draft of his letter. By the time he set down his pen and leaned back in his chair with a sigh, Giacomo had picked up the pace a little, but still went slow. It was a good fifteen more minutes before Geoffrey came, and Giacomo didn’t spill a drop.

He crawled up into Geoffrey’s lap, making sure to grind his bare ass against Geoffrey’s wet cock before putting his arms around Geoffrey and pulling him into a kiss. Geoffrey’s own cum flooded his mouth, and the two of them swapped cum and spit for a few good minutes before Giacomo broke back and they both swallowed. “I hate it when you do that,” Geoffrey told him.

“I know. Spank me later. You know what I think we should do?”

“I always know what you think we should do,” Geoffrey teased.

Giacomo kissed him again. “You’re right. But I mean about Dahlia.” As he said that, he slid up, reached behind himself to grab Geoffrey’s cock, lining up properly. 

“Oh,” Geoffrey said. “What? I ended up just telling Henry that she was back, and that I’d given Hans the weird gift he’d sent us, but I don’t know what he did with it. It’s kind of a pointless letter.” 

“Most letters are,” Giacomo said, sliding down, eyes shut. “Talking face-to-face is better.”

“Not really an option…” Geoffrey sighed as he felt Giacomo’s tightness around him. That was nice. “Besides, you usually talk face-to-dick. What’s your idea?”

“I think we should become friends with Dahlia.” 

Geoffrey frowned as Giacomo started moving on his cock. “She’s not your usual type.” 

“I don’t want to fuck her, I want to be friends with her so we can talk to her about Hans. Dad was friends with her mom. That’s a good enough reason.” 

“Is it?”

“It is for normal people,” Giacomo said.

“Is the queen of Kyaine normal people?”

“You constantly assuming that everyone is some dangerous mastermind isn’t helping. Most people aren’t,” Giacomo reminded him, pushing himself down hard onto Geoffrey’s cock.

Geoffrey sighed. “You make a compelling point. And not just with the hole my cock is in.” 

“Cute.” Giacomo kissed him again. “I’m going to write her a letter after I’m done satisfying my horny brother’s base impulses.” 

“Excuse me, you’re the one who climbed onto me.” 

“Oh, so you’re not horny?” Giacomo asked, making as if to climb off. Geoffrey grabbed his hips and pushed him down. Giacomo laughed, and they kept going. 

It was a while again, but faster this time, before Geoffrey was close. Giacomo must be holding back, it was clear on his face, but Geoffrey let him do it, and they came almost together, holding each other tight. 

Giacomo wiped hair from his eyes as he stood. “Okay. Fix your letter to Henry and I’ll write to Dahlia.”

Geoffrey nodded. “I’ll read it over before you send it.” Giacomo had a tendency to make stupid spelling errors. “You got cum on my shirt.” 

“That’d be what you get for wearing a shirt in your own house, Lord Geoffrey,” Giacomo told him, turning towards the door, stopping when it opened. 

It was only going to be Alfie, Geoffrey thought, though it was strange that he’d…

It wasn’t Alfie. Someone Geoffrey’s age walked in, dark like the people from Ech’kent, a bit square in the face. He smiled at Geoffrey. “Hi.” 

“Javier,” Geoffrey said. He hadn’t expected to see his companion. He hadn’t written or anything. “You’re back.” He crossed the room and hugged him. Javier smelled like dust; he must have just gotten in. 

“Yeah,” Javier said, holding Geoffrey for a second as if for support. “I missed you.” 

“I missed you too.” This was the longest Geoffrey had been apart from his companion since they’d been kids. “What’s wrong? You’re upset.” He was too tense.

Javier nodded, looking at the floor. He did that when he was embarrassed. “I…I fucking lost Stephan, Geoffrey.” 

“You…you lost him?” 

“How did you lose a whole half-person?” Giacomo demanded, more sharply than necessary. Sharp didn’t work with Javier. “What happened?”

Geoffrey guided Javier to a chair, sat him down. “There’s water here. What happened?” He poured Javier a cup and put it in his hands. 

“I just…” Javier shook his head. “I don’t even _know._ We stopped for the day. He went in his tent to fucking jerk off or something before supper, which he always did. I didn’t think I needed to watch him in his tent. And then by the time the fucking food was ready, he was gone. I don’t know how he did it.” 

Geoffrey frowned the more that explanation went on. That kind of sneakiness didn’t seem like something Stephan was capable of. “He ran?”

“He must have, but…” Javier sighed, drank his water when Geoffrey prompted him to. “We looked everywhere for him, Geoffrey. In the trees, all around. There were no tracks, no trail, nothing.” 

Geoffrey looked at Giacomo, who looked like he was about to spit nails. “Magic,” Geoffrey suggested. “It had to be. Stephan definitely doesn’t have the ability to hide his tracks like that, or to hide or run away. And he thought you were taking him north—why would he run from you?”

“You think someone kidnapped him?” Giacomo demanded. “Why?”

“I think it’s the only thing that makes sense. I didn’t say I knew why.” Geoffrey sighed. This was a disaster. Having Stephan was what clinched his agreement with Sophia Fyrhawk. 

“Jorge?” Giacomo asked. “He’s not competent enough.” 

“Maybe he is,” Geoffrey mused. If he’d found out that Stephan was still alive… “Maybe we underestimated him. Hey,” he said, noticing that Javier had started to cry quietly. “Hey. It’s not your fault. Don’t cry.” 

“It _is_ my fault,” Javier insisted, shaking. “All I had to do was keep an eye on him. He was an idiot, it wasn’t like it was a hard job. And I messed it up.” 

Geoffrey sat on the edge of the chair, pulling Javier into a hug. “It wasn’t your fault,” he repeated. Javier had always been too hard on himself. 

“Giacomo thinks it was,” Javier muttered quietly. 

“No, I don’t,” Giacomo promised, though he was still clearly furious. “Geoffrey’s right, it was magic or something. That’s the only thing that makes sense.” 

The door opened again without a knock, and Alfie came in. “Oh good, your both…hey, Javier. You’re back.” 

“Hi, kid,” Javier said, trying to smile at Alfie as he wiped his eyes. “How you holding up?”

“Good. You?”

“Not so good.” 

“You’ll be okay.” Alfie turned to Giacomo. “There’s a letter for you. From Dahlia.” 

Giacomo frowned, took the letter from Alfie, opened it and skimmed it, mouth moving as he read. “It’s an invitation to have dinner with her,” Giacomo said, tone dark. “Since our parents were such good friends and to thank me for my service to her family.” 

“That can’t possibly be a coincidence,” Geoffrey said. “Don’t tell me that’s just her being sad and normal.” 

“No, you’re right,” Giacomo said, letter crumpling in his fist. “She knows. Maybe she has him.” 

“You have to go,” Geoffrey told him. He didn’t like this at all. “You have to act normal about it.” 

“I know, Geoffrey, I’m not an idiot.” Giacomo was shifting from foot to foot now. “I don’t like this. Everything’s going wrong at once. I feel like someone’s messing with us.” 

Geoffrey did too. “Have supper with Dahlia. I’ll eat with some of our allies while you do. We’ll find out who it is.” 

“And we’re going to put a stop to it. I’m not doing anymore of this elaborate five-year scheming. I’m finding out who’s fucking with us and we’re going to kill them.” 

Geoffrey nodded. “Yeah. Someone’s treating House DiSheere like it’s their toy. That can’t keep happening.” 

“No,” Giacomo agreed. “It can’t. I have to reply to this.”

“Use the desk,” Geoffrey said, still sitting beside Javier, who at least wasn’t crying anymore. “Javier, tell me everything that happened after you left the capital, okay?”

“Yeah,” Javier said, taking a breath. He talked, and nothing about his story seemed out of the ordinary. It didn’t really help, but at the very least it was nice to have him back. One more person Geoffrey could trust. 

He was starting to wonder if the four people in this room might be the only ones he could.


End file.
